Selection criteria of exopolysaccharide-producing cultures for reduced fat cheese with improved texture.

Divisions

Research

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2012

Journal

Milchwissenschaft

Volume

4

Issue

67

Pages

3

Language

en

Abstract

The objective of this work was to compare the physical properties of several commercially available ropy strains of lactic acid bacteria with those of the most successful culture we previously used in reduced fat cheese making (Lactococcus lactis ssp. cremoris JFR). A non-EPS producing culture was also used as a control. Reconstituted (11% w/v) low heat nonfat dry milk was steamed (95°C for 30 min), cooled to 300 (for mesophiles) or 37°C (for thermo-philes), inoculated with the test culture, and incubated until a pH value of 4.6 was attained. Fermented milk was then kept at 4°C overnight before analyses. Heat stability, shear stability, viscosity, water holding capacity, flow properties, and viscoelastic properties of fermented milk were determined. Similarities and differences among cultures varied from one attribute to another. Among all EPS-producing cultures tested, JFR produced fermented milk with the highest WHC, consistency coefficient and viscoelastic moduli, and lowest flow behavior index. These characteristics are important for the production of less rubbery and firm yet smooth reduced fat cheese. This research suggests a reliable and easy approach for dairy industry to select starter cultures suitable for making reduced fat cheeses.

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