Unlocking the microbial diversity in artisanal Buffalo Milk Curd

Bangladesh produces 0.036 million tons of milk from 1.49 million of buffaloes sharing 0.027% of the world production. The coastal regions of Bangladesh are the primary hub for buffalo rearing, where a traditional naturally fermented dairy product called Dahi, made from raw buffalo milk (known as Buffalo Milk Curd), is crafted at the cottage level. Since the manufacturers rely on the natural microbiota of the milk to prepare the product, a huge microbial diversity is expected. The project aims to analyze the microbial diversity and dynamics within the Buffalo Milk Curd, isolate and identify the dominant cultivable bacterial species and assess the probiotic and bio-functional properties of the isolates towards developing probiotic starter culture. To accomplish the objective, we have been gathering samples of the curd along with the corresponding milk from various locations during the pre-monsoon, monsoon, and post-monsoon seasons, ensuring a comprehensive coverage across different periods. The target of the culture-dependent isolation process is to selectively isolate and identify specific groups of bacteria, including lactobacilli, lactococci, leuconostoc, and bifidobacteria. The funding for the project has been provided by the Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI), and its implementation is being carried out through a collaborative effort between the Department of Dairy and Poultry Science and the Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University.