КАРАКТЕРИЗАЦИЈА КОАГУЛАЗА НЕГАТИВНИХ СТАФИЛОКОКА ИЗОЛОВАНИХ ИЗ СУВОГ МЕСА ОВЧИЈЕГ ТРУПА – СЈЕНИЧКА ОВЧИЈА СТЕЉА

Abstract

Sheep prosciutto is a fermented meat product for whose quality and organoleptic properties are increased by microorganisms making it a high quality product. Fermentation process of sheep prosciutto is not controlled, therefore in this case, the isolated strains that make up the microbiota are wild (occur in nature). Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) have an important role in defining the characteristics of this product. The aim of our work was: to isolate coagulasenegative staphylococci from sheep prosciutto, as well as characterisation of the isolated staphylococci (CNS) to precisely define and determine the dominating strain of coagulase-negative staphylococci in sheep prosciutto and how it affects the quality of the product. Materials for this research consisted of 9 samples taken from three households in Sjenica during two production years (2014 and 2015 yr.). Phenotyping of the isolates was performed by Gram staining and catalase test, and then the isolates were subjected to the coagulase test. In order to identify the isolates the following tests were performed: The ability of bacterial colonies to induce hemolysis on blood agar, mannitol fermentation, growth at different temperatures (150C and 450C), tolerance to novobiocin, lipolytic activity, proteolytic activity and synthesis of EPS (Exopolysaccharides). Based on the results, a preliminary identification of 71 isolates of coagulasenegative staphylococci from Sjenica sheep prosciutto as Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Staphylococcus xylosus and Staphylococcus carnosus was made.