The object in view (funded by the IWT (www.iwt.be)) is to study the population dynamics of Gram-Positive bacteria associated with the production of Flemish artisan Gouda-type cheeses aiming at a better microbial understanding of the end product.  Identification and quantification of the bacteria of the cheese ecosystem is essential to understand their possible influence related to the cheese production.  The influence of various technological and environmental parameters on the typical characteristics of cheese will be investigated.  To this end, optimized molecular methods (e.g. PCR-DGGE, real-time PCR) will be used.  Furthermore, interesting LAB strains will be screened for their proteolytic, lipolytic and bacteriocin producing properties and their possible use as adjunct.  The effect of introducing adjunct strains into the cheese making process will be followed up by GC-MS.