Adjunct Culture of Non-Starter Lactic Acid Bacteria for the Production of Provola Dei Nebrodi PDO Cheese: In Vitro Screening and Pilot-Scale Cheese-Making

Abstract

The present study aimed at selecting non-starter lactic acid bacteria strains, with desirable technological and enzymatic activities, suitable as adjunct culture for the Provola dei Nebrodi cheese production. One hundred and twenty-one lactic acid bacteria, isolated from traditional Provola dei Nebrodi cheese samples, were genetically identified by Rep-PCR genomic fingerprinting, using the (GTG)5-primer, and by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Twenty-seven strains, included in the qualified presumption of safety (QPS) list, were tested for technological and proteinase/peptidase activities. Results showed that technological features and flavour formation abilities were strain-dependent. Among the selected strains, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei PN 76 and Limosilactobacillus fermentum PN 101 were used as adjunct culture in pilot-scale cheese-making trials. Data revealed that adjunct cultures positively affected the flavour development of cheese, starting from 30 days of ripening, contributing to the formation of key flavour compounds. The volatile organic compound profiles of experimental cheeses was significantly different from those generated in the controls, suggesting that the selected adjunct strains were able to accelerate the flavour development, contributing to a unique profile of Provola dei Nebrodi cheese.

Effects of pectic fat mimetics and transglutaminase on the regularity of protein and fat degradation and flavour compounds in Cheddar cheese during ripening

“…Ketones, which produce fruit and floral odors, are a common ingredient in most dairy products (Jung et al ., 2013). 3‐hydroxy‐2‐butanone, 3‐methyl‐2‐butanone, 2‐heptanone, 2‐nonanone and methylnonanone were all methyl ketones that were produced by the enzymatic oxidation and decarboxylation processes of fatty acids, all of which contributed to the characteristic flavour of cheese (Minghui et al ., 2019; Randazzo et al ., 2021). The creamy flavour was produced by 3‐hydroxy‐2‐butyl ketone, which was converted from diacetic acid produced by the metabolism of citric acid.…”

Elaboration of a Semi-Hard Cheese, ”Gouda” Type, with Autochthonous Strains and Analysis of its Physicochemical and Sensory Composition

“…Gonzalez et al (36) found similar quality, flavor and intensity values between experimental and controlled cheeses and demonstrated that the correct technological characterization of the autochthonous strains allows the selection of strains with the desired properties in the lactic ferments for use in industrial productions, maintaining some characteristics typical of traditional cheeses. The results found by (37,38) showed that technological characteristics and flavor-forming capabilities depended on strain. The flavor of cheese varies according to the type of cheese, and even the same type of cheese varies in flavor depending on the starter bacteria and the ripening conditions (39) .…”

“…Miniature cheeses need about 28 days to mature (40) . Long-term experiments on large-scale production of Gouda cheese are needed to evaluate actual aroma formation and aroma characteristics (38) .…”

Distinctive Traits of Four Apulian Traditional Agri-Food Product (TAP) Cheeses Manufactured at the Same Dairy Plant

“…The source and transfer line temperatures were kept at 250 and 230 • C, respectively. Electron ionization masses were recorded at 70 eV in the mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) interval 34-350 [35]. Each chromatogram was analyzed for peak identification using the NIST (National Institute of Standard and Technology) 2008 library.…”