The technology of modern fermented milk production is not complicated and relies largely on the characteristics of the microorganisms used in its manufacture. Biochemical substances excreted by the starter cultures contribute to the chemical, physical and organoleptic properties of cultured milks. Chemical and organoleptic properties of yoghurt starter cultures have been widely studied over several decades. Conversely the biosynthetic processes and genetic control of the production of viscous extracellular material (slime) by selected thermophillic streptococci is still insufficiently understood. This study attempted to elucidate physiological aspects and the genetic control of slime production. An attempt to chemically induce ropiness was also preformed. Twenty strains of Gram positive, thermo-tolerant, milk dotting, catalase negative cocci were collected from a variety of sources. All strains were identified as Streptococcus thermophilus. Four of the isolates were identified as capable of producing an extracellular, ‘ropy’ capsular material. A negative staining method for highlighting capsular material under light microscopy was described. Ropy isolates displayed thick capsular zones of between 6-8 μm. The isolates graded as non-ropy produced only small capsular zones (less than 2 μm); two variants displayed no capsular material. Instability of the ropy phenotype during subculture and prolonged storage was described for all four ropy isolates at varied temperatures. Instability during transfer was reported as moderate with a loss of no more than 45% of ropy colonies after 15 subcultures at 48°C A significant increase in instability, during transfer, associated with an increase in incubation temperature (37-48°C) was also reported. Prolonged storage of ropy variants over ten days resulted in a drop in the number of ropy colonies. The loss was minimal when cultures were stored at 8°C, but excessive (approaching 100%) at 37°C This suggested the presence of capsular degradative substances. Analysis of the plasmid profiles of 20 strains identified only two strains harboured plasmid DNA. All plasmids were small, less than 23kilobases, and each strain possessed a single plasmid species. Only one ropy strain contained plasmid DNA that was shown, with the aid of curing experiments, not to be linked to production of the ropy phenotype. The amino acid analogue p-fluoro-DL-phenylalanine was unsuccessful in generating ropy colonies from non-ropy variants of Streptococcus thermophilus at low concentrations. Some technological considerations for the use of ropy variants of Streptococcus thermophilus in yoghurt starter cultures were made.

The thesis has optimized DNA isolation from pure yoghurt cultures and yoghurt products. The isolated DNA was than subjected to RT-PCR analysis. In the first part of the thesis, DNA isolation from pure yoghurt cultures using a commercial kit was evaluated as more effective than isolation by phenol extraction and magnetic microparticles. To assess the quality and quantity of DNA obtained the spectrophotometric determination of concentration and purity and qPCR were used. DNA of a total of ten pure yoghurt cultures in a quality suitable for PCR was obtained using the commercial kit. In the second part of the thesis, bacterial DNA was isolated from yoghurt products using the same commercial kit with a previous sample washing by lysation solution. DNA of six yoghurt products was isolated this way. Furthermore, two packages of homemade yoghurt were mad of each product, of which DNA was isolated in the same way. DNA obtained from yoghurts was subjected to RT-PCR using six pairs of primers (V3_F a V3_R, V6_F a V6_R, V1_F a V1_R, GroHRM_F a GroHRM_R, UPF a UPR, P1V1 a P2V1) and using the pure cultures DNA as a positive controls. The results confirmed the presence of cultures declared in each yoghurt and their ability to multiply after inoculation into a new medium (milk).