FUNGAL BIOTA ISOLATED FROM SPANISH CHEESES

Fungal biota, with special reference to the genus Penicillium, was stu died in 52 samples of commercial cheeses (10 fresh, 17 semiripened and 25 ripened) made from different types of milk (cow: ewe, goat and mix ed) produced in southern Spain. In 41 of the total of cheeses analyzed (79%) molds were isolated. Penicillium was identified in 63% of the s amples, Mucor spp. in 27% Geotrichum candidum in 17% and Cladosporium herbarum in 10%; eleven other fungal genera were detected ranging from 2 to 4%. Thirty-five species of Penicillium were analyzed with the fo llowing distribution: 7 in fresh cheese, 16 in semiripened cheese and 30 in ripened cheese. The incidence of Penicillium spp. was also great er in the cheeses with a higher degree of ripeness, i.e. 20% in fresh cheese 71% in the semiripened and 76% in the ripened cheese.