Technological Applications of Macrococcus caseolyticus and its Impact on Food Safety
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REVIEW ARTICLE
Technological Applications of Macrococcus caseolyticus and its Impact on Food Safety G. L. P. A. Ramos1 · H. C. Vigoder2 · J. S. Nascimento2 Received: 15 June 2020 / Accepted: 28 October 2020 © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2020
Abstract Macrococcus spp. are Gram-positive cocci that belong to the Staphylococcaceae family; they are closely related to staphylococci, but, unlike staphylococci, they are not considered as human pathogens. Macrococcus spp. are recognized as relevant veterinary pathogens, and their presence has been reported in food products of animal origin. Macrococcus caseolyticus, the most studied species of the Macrococcus genus, is associated with the development of aroma and flavor in fermented foods and is, thus, used as starter cultures in fermentations. However, certain important issues regarding food safety must be taken into account when employing these microorganisms in fermentations. Recent studies have reported the presence of genes associated with resistance to methicillin and other antibiotics in M. caseolyticus. This can be harmful to human health as these genes can be transferred to other bacteria present in the food, mainly staphylococcal species. This work, therefore, aims to highlight the importance of a more critical view on the presence of macrococci in foods and the possible indirect risks to human health.
Introduction The Macrococcus genus belongs to the Staphylococcaceae family and comprises Gram-positive, catalase-positive, and oxidase-positive cocci. Though macrococci are closely related to staphylococci, they are not commonly considered as human pathogens [1, 2]. The genus currently comprises of eleven species: Macrococcus bohemicus, M. bovicus, M. brunensis, M. canis, M. carouselicus, M. caseolyticus, M. epidermidis, M. equipercicus, M. goetzii, M. hajekii, and M. lamae [3]. These microorganisms are usually found on the skin surface of different mammals and also in food products derived from them, such as raw and pasteurized milk, dairy products, and meats [1, 4–7]. However, some representatives of M. caseolyticus have also been isolated from domestic chickens in Japan, China, and Thailand [8–10]. Until 2018, there have been no reports on the presence of macrococci in human clinical samples. However, in
* J. S. Nascimento [email protected] 1
Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Brazil
Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2
2018, three new species of Macrococcus (M. bohemicus, M. epidermidis, and M. goetzii) and a new subspecies of M. caseolyticus (M. caseolyticus subsp. hominis), which exhibited virulence potential, were isolated from human clinical material [11]. The role of macrococci as veterinary pathogens has become increasingly recognized in recent years [9, 12]. The most studied species associated with animal infections are M. caseolyticus and M. canis, which have been often isolated from infections such as abscesses, mastitis, otiti
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