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Kamilari et al. Microbiome Res Rep 2025;4:3 Microbiome Research
DOI: 10.20517/mrr.2024.47
Reports

Original Article Open Access

Regional microbial content of fermented traditional
and industrial East Mediterranean sausages from the

islands of Cyprus and Mytilini

4
Eleni Kamilari 1,2 , Catherine Stanton 1,2,3 , Dimitrios Tsaltas , R. Paul Ross 1,2
1
APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork T12 YT20, Ireland.
2
School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork T12 K8AF, Ireland.
3
Department of Biosciences, Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co., Cork P61 C996, Ireland.
4
Department of Agricultural Sciences, Biotechnology and Food Science, Cyprus University of Technology, Lemesos 3036,
Cyprus.
Correspondence to: Prof. R. Paul Ross, APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, College Road, Cork T12 YT20, Ireland.
E-mail: p.ross@ucc.ie
How to cite this article: Kamilari E, Stanton C, Tsaltas D, Ross RP. Regional microbial content of fermented traditional and
industrial East Mediterranean sausages from the islands of Cyprus and Mytilini. Microbiome Res Rep 2025;4:3. https://dx.doi.
org/10.20517/mrr.2024.47

Received: 10 Jul 2024 First Decision: 2 Sep 2024 Revised: 23 Sep 2024 Accepted: 15 Oct 2024 Published: 28 Oct 2024

Academic Editors: Bo Yang, Erwin Gerard Zoetendal Copy Editor: Pei-Yun Wang Production Editor: Pei-Yun Wang

Abstract
Objective: To characterize the microbial biodiversity of fermented sausages from the East Mediterranean islands of
Cyprus and Mytilini, and to identify differences between the microbial diversity of traditionally and industrially
produced Cypriot sausages.

Method: The microbial diversity of thirty sausages from Cyprus and Mytilini (traditionally and industrially
produced) was analyzed using high throughput sequencing (HTS) (amplicon sequencing) of 16S rRNA gene and
ITS loci fragments. By applying microbial signature detection and machine learning algorithms, we identified key
microbes that distinguish traditionally produced sausages from those produced industrially. Focusing on selected
microbial taxa and using interaction network analysis, we identified associations among the sausages’ microbiota
that may affect the shaping of the sausages’ microbial consortia.

Results: Cypriot and Mytilini sausages indicated increased relative representation of Lactobacillus and Leuconostoc.
Cypriot sausages were distinguished by the presence of the fungi Debaryomyces hansenii and Candida spp., whereas
Mytilini sausages by the bacteria Lactococcus and Streptococcus. Traditionally produced sausages from the Pitsilia

© The Author(s) 2024. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
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