Guarantee the quality from a health point of view of traditional cheese-making production through management of microbial diversity, whilst preserving sensory qualities and, conversely, strengthening scientific arguments for supporting new strategies for this management. This microbial ecology approach ranges from milk production to mature cheeses, in order to manage all microbial biodiversity from cheeses to raw milk.

By mastering microbial ecology, promote supply chains by proposing innovations all the way along the production line (efficient use of ferments, mastering ripening environments, proposing new measurement tools for paying for milk according to quality, etc.).

This UMT is located in Aurillac.

Management of microbial diversity at the level of milk production, set out in questions on the determining factors of microbial balance in milk, by focusing on the reservoirs (udders, teats) of valuable technological flora and conditions for milk carrying.

Engines of biodiversity in the two ecosystems of cheese: rind and pulp. It is necessary to study how microbial interactions and environmental factors determine the dynamics of microbial populations.

Development of high-flow molecular tools in order to draw up an inventory of and quantify microbial populations. These tools must complement current techniques and remove methodological blockages.

Validation of results at pilot-scale and transfer to the field