Application of probiotics in cheese manufacturing - state, perspective

Abstract

Traditionally, the most popular food delivery systems for probiotic strains have been freshly fermented milks, as well as unfermented milks with cultures added. However, in the development of functional dairy products Cheese could offer certain advantages as delivery systems of live probiotics to the gastrointestinal tract, which is the target organ. Cheeses having a higher pH than fermented milks, providing a more stable milieu could support long-term survival. Furthermore, the matrix, high fat content of cheeses may protect the organisms during passage through the gastrointestinal tract. There are relatively few reports concerning cheese as a carrier of probiotics, even though there are small number of probiotic cheeses currently on the market worldwide. Having in mind all of these data it is proposed that cheese could be an effective vehicle for delivery of probiotics to the consumer.

Proizvodnja sireva predstavlja jednu od najvitalnijih grana mlekarske industrije sa godišnjom stopom rasta od 2%, čemu sigurno pogoduje i globalizacija svetskog tržišta. Kada je u pitanju primena probiotika u sirarstvu, tu stvari, za razliku od fermentisanih napitaka, nisu dovoljno ispitane. Imajući u vidu pH sireva, oksidoredukcioni potencijal, hemijski sastav, strukturu, puferska svojstva, neosporno je da sirevi mogu biti dobri vektori za prenos probiotika. Međutim, trenutno je suviše mali broj sireva sa probioticima na tržištu, ali zato podaci dobijeni na osnovu eksperimenata deluju ohrabrujuće. S druge strane, nedostatak validnih medicinskih istraživanja o delovanju probiotika koji su konzumirani sa sirevima, takođe čini ovu oblast nedovoljno ispitanom. Ako se ima u vidu da proizvodnja funkcionalne hrane ima permanentnu ekspanziju, a da mlečni proizvodi tu zauzimaju vidno mesto, dâ se očekivati da će i sirevi sa probioticima dati doprinos tom trendu.