Quality Attributes of Cheddar Cheese Containing Added Lactobacilli

Abstract

ABSTRACT Various strains of homo‐ and heterofermentative lactobacilli isolated from cheddar cheese were added to milk with a commercial streptococci culture to produce cheddar cheese. The heterofermatative lactobacilli L. brevis and L. fermentum almost always led to the development of fruity flavors, openness and late‐gassing within 10 months of aging. Cheddar cheese produced using combined cultures of heterofermentative lactobacilli and L. casei‐casei or L. casei‐pseudoplantarum did not exhibit gas formation and openness. The overall grading scores of cheese containing added lactobacilli were not higher than those for the control cheese (without lactobacilli). A definite correlation was found between the lactobacilli used and the flavors of the cheese. The controlled acidity development during cheese making, the fat and the salt in moisture content of the cheeses were not affected.