Food Sci. Technol, Campinas, Ahead of Print, 2020 1/6 1 Food Science and Technology DOI D httpsI//doi.org/10.1590/fst.24319 OSSN 0101-2061 (Print) OSSN 1678-457X (Dnline) 1 Introduction Yeasts are an essential part of cheese microfora because they can tolerate low water activity and pH, high salt concentrations and low storage temperatures and are resistant to some chemicals such as sanitizers and cleaning compounds (Ferreira & Viljoen, 2003; Banjara et al., 2015). Certain yeasts may have the ability to use lactose, proteins, lipids, and some organic acids and may be applied for ripening by generating some favor components and modifying the texture of cheeses and dairy products. Traditional fermented dairy products such as kefr and kumys are also produced by lactic acid bacteria and yeast fermentation (Jakobsen & Narvhus, 1996; Vasdinyei & Deak, 2003; Ferreira & Viljoen, 2003; Büchl & Seiler, 2011; Banjara et al., 2015). At the same time, some yeast strains can cause spoilage by producing gas, of-favors, sofening of texture and discoloration changes in dairy products, especially with low pH such as yogurt, cream cheese, fermented milk, sour cream, etc. (Vasdinyei & Deak, 2003; Kavas et al., 2006; Büchl & Seiler, 2011; Corbaci et al., 2012). Yeasts may enter cheese production process from a variety of sources, such as the starter microorganisms, brine, environmental air, workers, and processing equipment (Banjara et al., 2015). Te most commonly isolated yeast genera from dairy products are Debaryomyces, Yarrowia, Candida, Zygosaccharomyces, Cryptococcus, Geotrichum, Kluyveromyces, Trichosporon, Rhodotorula, Torulaspora, and Saccharomyces. Kluyveromyces marxianus, Debaryomyces hansenii, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae species are mostly presented in dairy samples. Besides, Yarrowia lipolytica and D. hansenii may also be used as adjunct cultures for favor enhancement during cheese ripening (Hansen & Jakobsen, 2001; Ferreira & Viljoen, 2003; Vasdinyei & Deak, 2003; Capece & Romano, 2009). Turkish White cheese, Kashkaval, and Tulum cheeses are the best known and the most commonly consumed cheese varieties which have a national and economic value in Turkey. Mihalic, Orgu, Sepet, and Goat cheese are the other crucial Turkish cheese varieties (Hayaloglu et al., 2002; Kamber, 2008; Aday & Karagul Yuceer, 2014). On the researches about yeast microflora of Turkish cheeses, D. hansenii, Pichia amethionina var. amethionina, K. lactis and Candida spp., were identified in Turkish White cheeses (Hayaloglu et al., 2002); Candida, Geotrichum, Kluyveromyces, Pichia, Saccharomyces and Zygosaccharomyces genera were found in Tulum cheeses (Karasu-Yalcin et al., 2012); Debaryomyces spp., Candida spp, Kluyveromyces spp., Trichosporon spp., Saccharomyces spp. and Geotricum spp. were obtained from Tulum, white pickled and, Kasar (Kashkaval) cheeses (Kavas et al., 2006); Candida (especially C. famata var. famata), Geotrichum and Trichosporon spp. were identified as dominant yeast flora in Mihalic cheeses (Karasu-Yalcin et al., 2017); and D. hansenii was found as predominant yeast species in homemade cheeses (Corbaci et al., 2012). Ot has also been mentioned that certain species of yeasts may have inhibition characteristics against spoilage or pathogenic microorganisms in cheeses. D. hansenii may have Molecular characterization of yeasts isolated from traditional Turkish cheeses Sine DZMEN TDGAY 1 * , Angela CAPECE 2 , Gabriella SOESTD 2 , Harun AKSU 3 , Sema SANDOKCO ALTUNATMAZ 4 , Filiz YOLMAZ AKSU 4 , Patrizia RDMAND 2 , Yonca KARAGUL YUCEER 5 a Received 03 Sept., 2019 Accepted 04 Nov., 2019 1 Department of Food Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Bursa Uludag University, Bursa, Turkey 2 Scuola di Scienze Agrarie, Forestali, Alimentari ed Ambientali, University of Basilicata, Via dell’Ateneo Lucano, Potenza, Italy 3 Department of Food Hygiene and Technology, Veterinary Faculty, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Avcilar, İstanbul, Turkey 4 Department of Food Technology, Veterinary Vocational School, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Avcilar, Istanbul, Turkey 5 Department of Food Engineering, Engineering Faculty, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Çanakkale, Turkey *Corresponding authorI sineozmen@gmail.com; sinetogay@uludag.edu.tr Abstract Tirty-two yeast strains were identifed by means of molecular methods isolated from traditional Turkish cheeses (Tulum, Kashkaval, Mihalic, Orgu, White, Sepet, and Goat). Debaryomyces hansenii and Torulaspora delbrueckii were found as predominant species in cheese samples. Dther species which were identifed were Kluyveromyces lactis, Candida parapsilosis, Clavispora lusitaniae, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Kluyveromyces marxianus, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, Meyerozyma guilliermondii (formerly Pichia guilliermondii), Candida zeylanoides and Candida albicans. Rhodotorula mucilaginosa and D. hansenii strains, from Kashkaval cheese, showed antilisterial activity, whereas only one K. lactis strain from Orgu cheese exhibited proteolytic activity. Keywords: Tulum, Kashkaval, Mihalic, Orgu, White, Sepet, and Goat cheeses; Debaryomyces hansenii; Torulaspora delbrueckii; Kluyveromyces lactis; Rhodotorula mucilaginosa; characterization; antimicrobial activity. Practical Application: Te wild yeast microfora from some traditional Turkish cheeses were identifed by means of molecular techniques. Tese information may be useful for quality and shelf life of Turkish cheeses.