Table 2.

Morphological, biochemical and physiological characteristics of the strains.

strains	source	gram stain	spore	catalase	oxidase	colony morphology
M1	milk	Gram-positive bacilli with bipolar staining	–	–	–	tiny, white
M2	milk	Gram-positive bacilli with various size	–	–	–	smooth, round
M3	milk	Gram-positive short bacilli	–	–	–	smooth, round
M4	milk	Gram-positive bacilli	–	–	–	smooth, round
M5	milk	Gram-positive bacilli	–	–	–	smooth, round, colorless
M6	milk	Gram-positive long bacilli	–	–	–	smooth, round, big
M7	milk	Gram-positive bacilli	–	–	–	tiny, white
M8	milk	Gram-positive cocci	–	+	–	white
M9	milk	Gram-positive bacilli	–	+	–	tiny, white
M10	milk	Gram-positive bacilli	–	+	–	medium, white
Y1	yogurt	Gram-positive bacilli	–	–	–	mucoid
Y2	yogurt	Gram-positive cocci	–	–	–	medium, white
Y3	yogurt	Gram-positive bacilli	–	–	–	big, mucoid
Y4	yogurt	Gram-positive bacilli	–	–	–	medium, mucoid
Y5	yogurt	Gram-positive bacilli	–	–	–	mucoid, colorless
Y6	yogurt	Gram-positive bacilli	–	–	–	medium, white
Y7	yogurt	Gram-positive coccobacilli	–	+	–	tiny, white
Y8	yogurt	Gram-positive bacilli	–	+	–	white
Y9	yogurt	Gram-positive cocci	–	+	–	white
Y10	yogurt	Gram-positive bacilli	–	+	–	tiny, white
CH1	cheese	Gram-positive bacilli	–	–	–	colorless
CH2	cheese	Gram-positive bacilli	–	–	–	big, white
CH3	cheese	Gram-positive bacilli	–	–	–	smooth, round
CH4	cheese	Gram-positive bacilli	–	–	–	colorless
CH5	cheese	Gram-positive cocci	–	–	–	mucoid, white
CH6	cheese	Gram-positive bacilli	–	–	–	medium, white
CH7	cheese	Gram-positive bacilli	–	–	–	tiny, white
CH8	cheese	Gram-positive bacilli	–	+	–	white
CH9	cheese	Gram-positive coccobacilli	–	+	–	colorless
CH10	cheese	Gram-positive cocci	–	+	–	medium, white