Isolation and Identification of Egyptian Ras Cheese (Romy) Contaminating Fungi during Ripening Period
The fungal counts on Ras cheese samples obtained from ripening rooms of different factories from were determined. The lowest total fungal count was in Akel_s factory samples, but El-Eman_s factory was the highest count being 0.8×105 and 1.6×105 colony forming unit/gram (cfu/g), respectively. A total of 66 fungal isolates were examined in this study. The classification position of obtained fungal isolates were classified in three families (Endomycetaceae, Mucoraceae and Trichocomaceae), 6 genus and 13 species as following Geotrichum candidum, Aspergillus ochraceus, A. alliaceus, A. oryzae, A. niger, A. nidulans, Emericella nidulans, A. flavus, A. glaucus, A. flavipes, Penicillium sp., Mucor sp. and Rhizopus stolonifer. Most of fungal strains were found in El-Ashmawy_s factory and Abdo Gohar_s factory being 7 strains, but Akel_s factory and El-Eman_s factory were lower being 5 species and the last were El-Safa_s factory and El-Faiomy_s factory being 4 strains belonging to the genus Aspergillus being A. ochraceus; A. oryzae; A. niger and A. glaucus. A. oryzae was observed in all factories except Abdo Gohar and El-Eman_s factories being 39.39% while the other strains were attributed according to their percentages. A. glaucus was in the second order being16.67% that presented also in all factories except El-Ashmawy_s factory. A. ochraceus was in the third order being 15.15% that observed in all factories. A. niger which the fourth order being 6.66% that presented in El-Ashmawy, Abdo Gohar and El-Faiomy factories. Moreover, the distribution of other fungi were only in two factories, the percentage of Geotrichum candidum was 4.55% that presented in El-Ashmawy and Abdo Gohar factories. But, Aspergillus flavus was 4.55% and presented in Abdo Gohar and Akel factories. Penicillium sp. was 3.03% in El-Ashmawy and El-Eman factories. Finaly, Rhizopus sp. was 3.03% in El-Safa and El-Eman factories.