Exploring the Potential of Sustainable Acid Whey Cheese Supplemented with Apple Pomace and GABA-Producing Indigenous Lactococcus lactis Strain

Abstract

This study aimed to utilize two by-products, acid whey and apple pomace, as well as an indigenous <i>Lactococcus lactis</i> LL16 strain with the probiotic potential to produce a sustainable cheese with functional properties. Acid whey protein cheese was made by thermocoagulation of fresh acid whey and enhancing the final product by adding apple pomace, <i>L. lactis</i> LL16 strain, or a mixture of both. The sensory, the physicochemical, the proteolytic, and the microbiological parameters were evaluated during 14 days of refrigerated storage. The supplementation of the cheese with apple pomace affected (<i>p</i> ≤ 0.05) the cheese composition (moisture, protein, fat, carbohydrate, and fiber), the texture, the color (lightness, redness, and yellowness), and the overall sensory acceptability. The addition of the presumptive probiotic <i>L. lactis</i> LL16 strain decreased (<i>p</i> ≤ 0.05) the concentration of glutamic acid, thus increasing γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) significantly in the acid whey cheese. The supplementation with apple pomace resulted in slightly (<i>p</i> < 0.05) higher counts of <i>L. lactis</i> LL16 on day seven, suggesting a positive effect of apple pomace components on strain survival. The symbiotic effect of apple pomace and LL16 was noted on proteolysis (pH 4.6-soluble nitrogen and free amino acids) in the cheese on day one, which may have positively influenced the overall sensory acceptance.