counted, under anaerobiosis (AnaeroGen; Oxoid Ltd.), on de Man, Rogosa, and Sharpe (MRS) agar (Oxoid Ltd.) after 72 h of incubation at 22°C for mesophilic bacteria and 44°C for thermophilic bacteria. Thermo-philic and mesophilic lactic acid cocci were counted on M17 agar (Oxoid Ltd.) after incubation for 72 h at 45 and 22°C, respectively. Enterococci were counted on Slanetz and Bartley medium (Oxoid Ltd.) after incubation for 48 h at 37°C. Enterobacteriaceae were estimated on VRBA (Oxoid Ltd.) after 36 h at 37°C. Total and fecal coliforms were counted on violet red bile lactose agar (Oxoid Ltd.) after 24 to 48 h of incu-bation at 37 and 44°C, respectively. Yeasts and molds were quantified on the surface of the cheese on yeast extract-peptone-dextrose medium (Reale et al., 2011) after 72 h of incubation at 25°C.