Giavalisco, M. | bioRxiv Science

bioRxiv2025

Determining the core bacterial and fungal genera in table olive fermentations.

Table olives are among the most ancient and important fermented foods of the Mediterranean basin. Their production is still strongly related to traditional practices, and the lack of thermal treatments, the reliance on natural contamination and selective factors (NaCl, pH, occurrence of phenolics, etc.) determine the dynamics of the microbial community. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and yeasts have a pivotal role in table olive microbial communities, but several halophilic and alkalophilic microorganisms may also contribute, positively or negatively, to the quality and safety of this fermented vegetable. We have use metataxonomic data extracted from the FoodMicrobionet database to provide quantitative insights on the structure of bacterial and fungal microbial communities of table olives and to identify core genera in different trade preparations. Celerinatantimonas and Lactiplantibacillus were the most prevalent genera among bacteria, followed by several LAB, halophilic and alkalophilic lactic acid bacteria (HALAB) and Gram negatives, including non-halophilic species. Similarly, 3 fungal genera (Pichia, Candida, and Wickerhamomyces) were the most abundant and prevalent among fungi. The distribution of both bacteria and fungi varied significantly in different olive varieties, among olives, brines and contact surfaces or materials, and at different production stages, and no clear grouping related to the combination of ripeness and trade preparation was found, although HALAB were characteristically abundant in Spanish style green olives. Addition of starter cultures affected the composition and dynamics of microbial communities to a variable extent. HighlightsO_LIData from 16 metataxonomic studies on table olives, including 833 samples, were combined. C_LIO_LIEnhanced metadata facilitated the comparison among different studies. C_LIO_LIComposition of the microbiota of table olives was highly variable. C_LIO_LICelerinatantimonas and Lactiplantibacillus dominated the core bacterial microbiota. C_LIO_LIPichia, Candida, and Wickermahomyces were the most prevalent among fungi. C_LI

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2022

Metataxonomic insights in the distribution of Lactobacillaceae in foods and food environments

Members of the family Lactobacillaceae, which now includes species formerly belonging to the genera Lactobacillus and Pediococcus, but also Leuconostocaceae, are of foremost importance in food fermentations and spoilage, but also as components of animal and human microbiota and as potentially pathogenic microorganisms. Knowledge of the ecological distribution of a given species and genus is important, among other things, for the inclusion in lists of microorganisms with a Qualified Presumption of Safety or with beneficial use. The objective of this work is to use the data in FoodMicrobionet database to obtain quantitative insights (in terms of both abundance and prevalence) on the distribution of these bacteria in foods and food environments. We first explored the reliability of taxonomic assignments using the SILVA v138.1 reference database with full length and partial sequences of the 16S rRNA gene for type strain sequences. Full length 16S rRNA gene sequences allow a reasonably good classification at the genus and species level in phylogenetic trees but shorter sequences (V1-V3, V3-V4, V4) perform much worse, with type strains of many species sharing identical V4 and V3-V4 sequences. Taxonomic assignment at the genus level of 16S rRNA genes sequences and the SILVA v138.1 reference database can be done for almost all genera of the family Lactobacillaceae with a high degree of confidence for full length sequences, and with a satisfactory level of accuracy for the V1-V3 regions. Results for the V3-V4 and V4 region are still acceptable but significantly worse. Taxonomic assignment at the species level for sequences for the V1-V3, V3-V4, V4 regions of the 16S rRNA gene of members of the family Lactobacillaceae is hardly possible and, even for full length sequences, and only 49.9% of the type strain sequences can be unambiguously assigned to species. We then used the FoodMicrobionet database to evaluate the prevalence and abundance of Lactobacillaceae in food samples and in food related environments. Generalist and specialist genera were clearly evident. The ecological distribution of several genera was confirmed and insights on the distribution and potential origin of rare genera (Dellaglioa, Holzapfelia, Schleiferilactobacillus) were obtained. We also found that combining Amplicon Sequence Variants from different studies is indeed possible, but provides little additional information, even when strict criteria are used for the filtering of sequences.

microbiology↗