## 4 Discussion
Nevertheless, various strains of staphylococci are frequently isolated from ripened cheeses, which contribute to aroma and flavour development through the production of extracellular proteolytic and lipolytic enzymes [36; 37; 38]. Staphylococcus also contribute to the establishment of other smear-associated microbiota, such as coryneform bacteria, by producing essential growth factors [37]. The term coryneform bacteria refers to a group of genera, including _Corynebacterium_, _Brevbacterium_, _Microbacterium_, and _Glutamicbacter_, which share a characteristic coryneform cell morphology [2]. These bacteria preferentially inhabit pH-neutral surface environments and contribute significantly to the flavour and colour of cheese, the latter through the production of carotenoids [3; 39; 40]. _G. ariliaiensis_ was found in high abundance in cheeses D and E, and _C. variable_ in cheese C. In agreement, different coryneform isolates were obtained by cultivation, further indicating their accessibility in the cheese microbiota. Recent sequencing of _G. ariliaiensis_ revealed a plethora of genes associated with lipase activities and pigment production [41]. In another study, the presence of _G. ariliaiensis_ on the cheese surface was linked to the production of alcohols, carboxylic acids and ketones [20]. The contribution of _Corynebacterium_ to the cheese aroma appears to be minimal, as it shows only weak esterase and lipase activities [2; 3]. Members of the phylum Bacteroidetes were identified predominantly in cheese D (_Winogradskyella vidalii_ and _Bruminicrobium_) and A (_Psychroflexus_), as revealed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. No isolates of the Bacteroidetes were retrieved by cultivation, reflecting the fact that Bacteroidetes are typically anaerobic bacteria. Bacteroidetes are not typically part of the microbiota of cheese, although increased counts of Bacteroidetes have been identified as a cause of defective smear in samples of prepacked smear cheeses [8]. Representatives of other phyla included _Malacibacter marinus_ of the Campylobacterota and _Psychrilyobacter_ of the Fusobacteria, which constituted substantial portions of the total microbiota in cheees from producer A. No isolates of these phyla were retrieved by cultivation. One isolate from the phylum Pseudomonas, _Sphingomonas pauc immobilis_, was cultured from cheese from producer C despite not being detected by amplicon sequencing. Strains of _Malacibacter_ spp. (previously known as _Arobacter_) have been isolated from cow and water buffalo milk [42], sheep ricotta cheeses [43], and the dairy plant environment [44]. _Psychriylobacter_ spp. are commonly found in marine environments [45], and their presence has rarely been recorded in fermented foods [46] or the cheese production environment [47]. So far, the effect of their metabolism on the properties of cheese is not yet known. The microbial composition of smear-ripened cheese analysed in this study generally showed consistent results between the cultivation-based and sequencing methods. Culture methods play an indispensable role in the detection and isolation of pathogenic microorganisms in food, serving as a baseline for microbiological analysis. However, they may not be an appropriate choice for the monitoring of the dynamics of complex microbial communities. It is estimated that approximately 25-50% of microbial species may remain uncultivable despite the extensive use of special cultivation media [8, 48]. For this reason, sequencing techniques are preferentially used as they provide a more time-efficient, sensitive and specific method in microbiota profiling and monitoring the technological processes [8, 49, 50]. However, the combination of culture and sequencing methods is advantageous in addressing technological failures in cheese production by identifying the key microbial players involved and offering potential solutions for improving the production process.