ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF AN ENTEROCOCCUS STARTER FROM EGYPTIAN DOMIATI CHEESE

Our search for salt tolerant lactic acid bacteria in Domiati cheese le d to the finding of a large number of highly salt tolerant enterococci . Ten Domiati cheese samples were collected from different regions of Egypt the Delta area and Alexandria - from which 300 cocci and 73 lact obacilli were isolated, characterized and identified. 94.5% of the iso lated cocci were enterococci and only 3.5% were lactococci. The entero cocci had high esterolytic and autolytic activities but no aminopeptid ase activity was found. In contrary to this lactobacilli had high amin opeptidase and weak esterolytic activity. Most enterococci could grow well in a medium with 9.5-10% NaCl after several transfers. Both, ente rococci and lactobacilli, were classified in 3 groups according to the ir rate of acid production. Among the Lactobacillus strains the proteo lytic activity showed higher variation than with the Lactococcus strai ns. According to our results it will be possible to select certain str ains among the isolated enterococci that are apparently suitable as st arter cultures for the manufacture of Domiati cheese because of their high salt tolerance and enzymatic properties.