ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF LACTIC ACID BACTERIA FROM KUMYS AND SHUBAT FOR INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION OF STARTER CULTURES

Abstract

The study presents the results of isolating and identifying lactic acid bacteria from traditional Kazakh fermented milk beverages – kumys and shubat – with the aim of developing industrial starter cultures. Samples of kumys, shubat, camel, and mare’s milk were collected from several regions of Kazakhstan, and classical microbiological methods combined with molecular genetic techniques were used for analysis. More than ninety bacterial cultures were obtained, and over half were identified through 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The dominant genera were Enterococcus and Lactobacillus, which are responsible for the fermentation and formation of the characteristic aroma and texture of these beverages. Several isolates demonstrated no matches in existing genetic databases, suggesting the presence of unique or previously uncharacterized microbial strains endemic to the Kazakh region. The obtained results confirm the rich biodiversity of the natural microflora in kumys and shubat and form the basis for creating standardized starter cultures that preserve the traditional qualities of national dairy products while enabling their industrial-scale production.