Table 3. Quantification of L. lactis in the ripened cheeses analyzed in this study and comparison of the results obtained by using culture-independent and -dependent approaches.

	Culture-independent approach		Culture-dependent approach
Cheese sample and ripening time (day)	RT-qPCR	M17 agar plating	Molecular identification of the isolates
	LOG CFU/g cheese ± SD	LOG CFU/g ± SD	L. lactis RSA profile	Positive to HIS-PCR
Asiago d'allevo PDO 120 d	*	8.32±0.73	0/12	0/0
Asiago PDO 90 d	7.13±0.02	6.94±0.43	2/12	2/2
Bra tenero PDO 45 d	*	8.41±0.32	0/12	0/0
Castelmagno 90 d	5.34±0.03	6.58±0.24	4/12	0/4
Castelmagno PDO 180 d	6.17±0.05	5.40±0.43	2/12	1/2
Fontal 60 d	5.06±0.03	5.48±0.32	2/12	0/2
Fontina PDO 120 d	3.82±0.01	6.86±0.24	3/12	0/3
Fontina PDO 120 d	5.39±0.06	8.36±0.14	1/12	0/1
Fontina PDO 120 d	6.11±0.06	8.59±0.75	4/12	0/4
Fontina PDO 120 d	5.50±0.01	7.33±0.21	3/12	0/3
Fontina PDO 120 d	3.78±0.02	6.38±0.56	1/12	0/1
Pecorino di Gallura	6.97±0.04	9.48±0.42	4/12	0/4
Fiore Sardo 120 d	6.29±0.02	7.57±0.12	3/12	0/3
Pecorino fioretto 120 d	7.48±0.07	7.79±0.66	7/12	7/7
Pecorino pastore 90 d	*	5.70±0.55	1/12	0/1
Pecorino romano 120 d	5.56±0.04	6.88±0.46	5/12	0/5
Pecorino sardo PDO 120 d	4.96±0.07	7.76±0.78	2/12	0/2
Pecorino toscano PDO 90 d	7.58±0.04	6.51±0.54	0/12	0/0
Raschera 60 d	*	8.23±0.23	0/12	0/0
Raschera PDO 90 d	3.76±0.03	6.40±0.64	2/12	0/2
Raschera PDO 90 d	5.24±0.02	8.01±0.22	3/12	0/3
Raschera PDO 60 d	*	9.52±0.19	2/12	0/2
Toma d'Oropa 45 d	*	7.77±0.45	4/12	0/4
Toma di Bra 45 d	*	9.16±0.33	2/12	0/2
Toma di capra 60 d	8.47±0.01	8.59±0.56	12/12	6/12
Toma di Lanzo 60 d	7.06±0.01	8.15±0.16	6/12	1/6
Toma di Lanzo 60 d	4.55±0.02	8.88±0.24	3/12	0/3
Toma di Lanzo 60 d	4.82±0.02	8.92±0.21	4/12	3/4
Toma di Lanzo 60 d	6.90±0.02	8.60±0.31	5/12	1/5
Toma piemontese PDO 60 d	3.72±0.10	8.38±0.77	4/12	0/4
Toma piemontese PDO 60 d	*	9.19±0.13	3/12	0/3
Toma piemontese PDO 60 d	7.68±0.00	8.95±0.12	7/12	3/7
Toma piemontese PDO 60 d	7.40±0.02	7.45±0.48	4/12	0/4

*below quantification limit.

SD: standard deviation.