Application of probiotics in cheese manufacturing

Abstract

Traditionally, the most popular food delivery system for probiotic strains has been freshly fermented milk, as well as unfermented milk with cultures added. However, in the development of functional dairy products, cheese could offer certain advantages as a delivery system of live probiotics to the gastrointestinal tract, which is the target organ. Limited research on the incorporation of probiotic bacteria to different types of cheeses has shown that cheese is a viable carrier of these bacteria. However, in order to reach that target, viable cell count of 106 cfu/g for the probiotic in the final product may require some technological changes both in selection of the appropriate species and strains, and in supporting the cells to maintain their viability throughout storage before consumption. Our results have shown that this is possible in the case of Edam cheese which could be used as an adequate carrier of probiotic bacteria. The cultures of bifidobacteria, L. acidophilus, and DCC 240 used in a combination, demonstrated satisfactory survival during 120 days. In all cases, final numbers of viable cells were still above the levels suggested to produce their claimed health benefits.

Paralelno sa povećanjem proizvodnje funkcionalne hrane povećava se i interes za proizvode koji sadrže probiotike. Neprikosnoveni lider u toj oblasti su sigurno fermentisana mleka ali i ostali prehrambeni proizvodi, među koje spadaju i sirevi, sve više privlače pažnju. Poznato je da postoje velike razlike među namirnicama u pogledu održavanja vijabilnosti ćelija probiotika i ste strane sirevi ispunjavaju čitav niz kriterijuma za neophodnih za preživljavanje probiotskih sojeva. Prema tome imajući u vidu pH sireva oksidoredukcioni potencijal, hemijski sastav, strukturu, puferska svojstva neosporno je da sirevi mogu biti dobri vektori za prenos probiotika. Iz tog razloga u ovom radu je primenjena starter kultura koja se sastojala od FD-DVS DCC-240 i probiotske kulture FD DVS Bifidobacterium lactis BB-12 i FD DVS Lactobacillus acidophilus La 5 u proizvodnji edamskog sira.