Flavor Generation in Cheese Curd by Coculturing with Selected Yeast, Mold, and Bacteria

Abstract

A large number of microorganisms involved in cheese ripening induce very typical flavors that contribute to the cheese variety. As the microflora of cheeses is usually complex, pure cultures can only provide limited data. To better understand the impact of microbial associations on cheese flavor, 39 cocultures of three different yeasts, three Geotrichum candidum, and five bacteria, commonly used in bacteria and mold surface ripened cheese, were studied in a cheese model medium. Twenty trained judges established an odor profile by scoring the intensity of 10 attributes. Yeast and bacterial cocultures yielded fruity notes, and cocultures including Geotrichum candidum developed sulfur-like odors and cheesy notes. Moreover, some of the microorganisms contributed differently to the olfactory impact depending on the associated microorganism. Kluyveromyces lactis appeared to induce strong fruity characteristics, especially when associated with bacteria. Olfactory discrimination within cocultures that included yeast was better than within cocultures that included Geotrichum candidum or bacteria.