Table IV.
Areas of inhibition of L. monocytogenes growth on the surfaces of cheeses inoculated with complex consortium TR15 and defined microbial consortia.
| AI (8–2) | AI (18–8) | AI (28–18) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| TR15 | 2.66 | 11.20 | 16.33 |
| ABCD | −0.60 | −0.66 | 2.48 |
| ABC | −1.11 | 0.39 | 5.65 |
| ABD | −0.84 | −1.70 | 2.71 |
| ACD | 0.12 | 3.69 | 7.28 |
AI = area of inhibition calculated between 2 days of ripening (t2−t1) according to the formula, AI = (t2 − t1)/2 × [(Ct2 + Ct1) − (Tt2 + Tt1)], with C = L. monocytogenes counts in the control cheese and T = L. monocytogenes counts in cheeses inoculated with consortia.
Cheese surfaces inoculated with control = commercial ripening culture; TR15 = complex consortium (rind suspension) and ABCD, ABC, ABD and ACD = defined consortia from identified isolates (A = six lactic acid bacteria, B = seven Gram-positive and catalase-positive bacteria, C = three Gram-negative and D = three yeasts). Numbers in bold fonts indicate the highest inhibition.