Partial substitution of NaCl by KCl and addition of flavor enhancers on probiotic Prato cheese: A study covering manufacturing, ripening and storage time

Probiotic Potential and Application of Indigenous Non-Starter Lactic Acid Bacteria in Ripened Short-Aged Cheese

There are massive sources of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in traditional dairy products. Some of these indigenous strains could be novel probiotics with applications in human health and supply the growing needs of the probiotic industry. In this work, were analyzed the probiotic and technological properties of three Lactobacilli strains isolated from traditional Brazilian cheeses. In vitro tests showed that the three strains are safe and have probiotic features. They presented antimicrobial activity against pathogenic bacteria, auto-aggregation values around 60%, high biofilm formation properties, and a survivor of more than 65% to simulated acid conditions and more than 100% to bile salts. The three strains were used as adjunct cultures separately in a pilot-scale production of Prato cheese. After 45 days of ripening, the lactobacilli counts in the cheeses were close to 8 Log CFU/g, and was observed a reduction in the lactococci counts (around -3 Log CFU/g) in a strain-dependent manner. Cheese primary and secondary proteolysis were unaffected by the probiotic candidates during the ripening, and the strains showed no lipolytic effect, as no changes in the fatty acid profile of cheeses were observed. Thus, our findings suggest that the three strains evaluated have probiotic properties and have potential as adjunct non-starter lactic acid bacteria (NSLAB) to improve the quality and functionality of short-aged cheeses.

Box-Behnken Design for Assessing the Efficiency of Aflatoxin M1 Detoxification in Milk Using Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Milk contaminated with aflatoxin can lead to liver cancer. Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), a serious animal feed contaminant, is transformed into Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) and secreted in milk. In this study, a biological method using probiotic bacteria, Lactobacillus rhamnosus (L. rhamnosus) in combination with Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae), was used to assess their antiaflatoxigenic effect in animal milk. A Box-Behnken design was used to establish the optimal ratio of L. rhamnosus and S. cerevisiae, incubation time, and temperature for efficient AFM1 detoxification from milk. To achieve this, the primary, interaction, and quadratic effects of the chosen factors were investigated. To investigate the quadratic response surfaces, a second-order polynomial model was built using a three-factor, three-level Box-Behnken design. The quantity of AFM1 was detected by the ELISA technique. The results of these experiments obtained an optimum condition in AFM1 detoxification of the three tested factors in order to maximize their effect on AFM1 detoxification in milk. The model was tested in three highly contaminated milk samples to assure the efficacy of the model. AFM1 detoxification was up to 98.4% in contaminated milk samples. These promising results provide a safe, low-cost, and low-time-consuming solution to get rid of the problem of milk contamination with AFM1.

Preparation and Characterization of Novel Chitosan Coatings to Reduce Changes in Quality Attributes and Physiochemical and Water Characteristics of Mongolian Cheese during Cold Storage

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of O-carboxymethyl chitosan coating on microbiological, physiochemical, and water characteristics of Mongolian cheese during refrigerated storage. O-carboxymethyl chitosan coatings, particularly at 1.5%, improved cheese preservation by significantly inhibiting microbial growth, reducing changes in protein and non-protein nitrogen, and preserving pH and titratable acidity. For texture profile analysis (TPA), the hardness, gumminess, and chewiness in O-CMC treatments were significantly more stable than those in the control during storage. In addition, the relaxation component and image of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) were used to analyze the internal water mobility of the cheese during storage. Compared with other treatments, the 1.5% O-carboxymethyl chitosan coating had the best overall preserving effect during storage. O-carboxymethyl chitosan coating could be used in cheese preservation applications and could extend the shelf life of Mongolian cheese. The cheese coated with 1.5% O-carboxymethyl chitosan coating ranked the highest in acceptability at the end of the storage period.

Development of processed low-sodium Maasdam cheese

ABSTRACT The article assesses the effect of different potassium emulsifying salts concentrations on physicochemical, colorimetric, and texture characteristics of processed cheese manufactured using Maasdam. Except for pH, physicochemical parameters remained unchanged, but the gradual substitution of sodium emulsifying salts with potassium-based salts influenced color and texture. Treatments with at least 50% potassium salts showed a reduction of at least 30% of sodium. The sodium decrease allows the product's classification as processed cheese with low-sodium content (<140mg per 56.7g serving). The data obtained present substantial information that can help the dairy industries develop newly reduced-sodium products.

Effects of the probiotic bacteria on the quality properties of mozzarella cheese produced from different milk

The aim of the study was evaluating the effect of probiotic bacteria on chemical values, texture profile and sensory attributes of Mozzarella cheese which produced from cow and buffalo milk during the storage. The acidity, dry matter content, amount of protein and ripening index of sample increased throughout the storage (P < 0.05). Storage time influenced acidity, dry matter content, amount of protein and ripening index of samples (P < 0.001). Lightness and redness decreased while yellowness increased (P < 0.05). Storage time influenced lightness and yellowness of samples (P < 0.001). TPA parameters increased. The count of Lactobacillus acidophilus increased during the storage (P < 0.05) but Bifidobacterium lactis spp. animalis count increased first 14 days of storage and later decreased (P < 0.05). The samples produced from buffalo milk by adding probiotic bacteria had the highest sensory scores.

Autochthonous adjunct culture of Limosilactobacillus mucosae CNPC007 improved the techno-functional, physicochemical, and sensory properties of goat milk Greek-style yogurt

We evaluated the performance of Limosilactobacillus mucosae CNPC007 as an autochthonous adjunct culture in the production of goat milk Greek-style yogurt. The techno-functional, physicochemical, and sensory characteristics of the control yogurt (containing only starter culture, CY) and the probiotic yogurt (with the probiotic strain added, PY) were assessed during 28 d of refrigerated storage. Furthermore, we determined the survival of the strain throughout the gastrointestinal tract under simulated conditions. The PY yogurt had a lower extent of proteolysis index and a higher depth of proteolysis index. These results indicate that the proteolytic enzymes of L. mucosae may have a possible action in PY. The PY formulation exhibited viscosity almost 1.5 times as high as CY over the refrigeration period, probably due to higher production of exopolysaccharides by the probiotic strain, which directly interferes with the microstructure, texture, and viscosity of the product. The PY formulation received higher scores for color, flavor, and global acceptance at 1 d of storage and higher texture scores at 28 d. The counts of L. mucosae remained high (>7 log cfu/g and >8.5 log cfu/g) throughout mouth-ileum digestion and storage, respectively, in PY. The autochthonous adjunct culture of L. mucosae CNPC007 can be used for production of a novel potentially probiotic goat yogurt without negatively affecting the general characteristics of the product quality, adding value associated with maintaining its functional potential.

Recent insights in flavor-enhancers: Definition, mechanism of action, taste-enhancing ingredients, analytical techniques and the potential of utilization

The consumers' demand for clean-label food products, lead to the replacement of conventional additives and redesign of the production methods in order to adopt green processes. Many researchers have focused on the identification and isolation of naturally occurring taste and flavor enhancers. The term "taste enhancer" and "flavor enhancer" refer to umami and kokumi components, respectively, and their utilization requires the study of their mechanism of action and the identification of their natural sources. Plants, fungi and dairy products can provide high amounts of naturally occurring taste and flavor enhancers. Thermal or enzymatic treatments of the raw materials intensify taste and flavor properties. Their utilization as taste and flavor enhancers relies on their identification and isolation. All the above-mentioned issues are discussed in this review, from the scope of listing the newest trends and up-to-date technological developments. Additionally, the appropriate sensory analysis protocols of the naturally occurring taste-active components are presented. Moreover, future trends in using such ingredients by the food industry can motivate researchers to study new means for clean-label food production and provide further knowledge to the food industry, in order to respond to consumers' demands.

Therapeutic Effects of Probiotic Minas Frescal Cheese on the Attenuation of Ulcerative Colitis in a Murine Model

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) constitute disturbances of gastrointestinal tract that cause irreversible changes in the structure and function of tissues. Ulcerative colitis (UC), the most frequent IBD in the population, is characterized by prominent inflammation of the human colon. Functional foods containing probiotic bacteria have been studied as adjuvants to the treatment or prevention of IBDs. The selected probiotic strain Lactococcus lactis NCDO 2118 (L. lactis NCDO 2118) exhibits immunomodulatory effects, with promising results in UC mouse model induced by dextran sodium sulfate (DSS). Additionally, cheese is a dairy food that presents high nutritional value, besides being a good delivery system that can be used to improve survival and enhance the therapeutic effects of probiotic bacteria in the host. Therefore, this work investigated the probiotic therapeutic effects of an experimental Minas Frescal cheese containing L. lactis NCDO 2118 in DSS-induced colitis in mice. During colitis induction, mice that consumed the probiotic cheese exhibited reduced in the severity of colitis, with attenuated weight loss, lower disease activity index, limited shortening of the colon length, and reduced histopathological score. Moreover, probiotic cheese administration increased gene expression of tight junctions’ proteins zo-1, zo-2, ocln, and cln-1 in the colon and increase IL-10 release in the spleen and lymph nodes. In this way, this work demonstrates that consumption of probiotic Minas Frescal cheese, containing L. lactis NCDO 2118, prevents the inflammatory process during DSS-induced colitis in mice, opening perspectives for the development of new probiotic functional foods for personalized nutrition in the context of IBD.

Spectroscopic techniques for monitoring changes in the quality of milk and other dairy products during processing and storage

The application of spectroscopic techniques can help in alleviating problems encountered during the processing of milk and dairy products. Indeed, traditional analytical methods (e.g., physicochemical measurements, sensory, chromatography) are relatively expensive, time-consuming, and require chemicals and sophisticated analytical equipment, and skilled operators. Hence, there is a need to develop faster and less costly methods for accurately monitoring changes in the quality of milk and other dairy products during processing and storage.Many nondestructive and noninvasive instrumental techniques are available for inline and online monitoring of food. These include fluorescence spectroscopy, mid-infrared (MIR), near-infrared (NIR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), etc. These techniques are usually used in combination with chemometric tools a to explore the information present in spectral data.This review article will discuss the potential of the above-mentioned spectroscopic techniques for monitoring chemical modifications of dairy products and the prediction of their functional properties during processing. The advantages and disadvantages of each technique are also discussed in this review. Finally, some conclusions are drawn, and the future trends of these methods are presented.

Freezing as a solution to preserve the quality of dairy products: the case of milk, curds and cheese

When thinking of the freezing process in dairy, products consumed in frozen state, such as ice creams come to mind. However, freezing is also considered a viable solutions for many other dairy products, due to increasing interest to reduce food waste and to create more robust supply chains. Freezing is a solution to production seasonality, or to extend the market reach for high-value products with otherwise short shelf life. This review focuses on the physical and chemical changes occurring during freezing of milk, curds and cheeses, critical to maintaining quality of the final product. However, freezing is energy consuming, and therefore the process needs to be optimized to maintain product's quality and reduce its environmental footprint. Furthermore, the processing steps leading to the freezing stage may require some changes compared to traditional, fresh products. Unwanted reactions occur at low water activity, and during modifications such as ice crystals growth and recrystallization. These events cause major physical destabilizations of the proteins due to cryoconcentration, including modification of the colloidal-soluble equilibrium. The presence of residual proteases and lipases also cause important modifications to the texture and flavor of the frozen dairy product.

Reduced-sodium cheeses: Implications of reducing sodium chloride on cheese quality and safety

Sodium chloride (NaCl) universally well-known as table salt is an ancient food additive, which is broadly used to increase the storage stability and the palatability of foods. Though, in recent decades, use of table salt in foods is a major concern among the health agencies of the world owing to ill effects of sodium (Na) that are mostly linked to hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. As a result, food scientists are working to decrease the sodium content in food either by decreasing the rate of NaCl addition or by partial or full replacement of NaCl with other suitable salts like potassium chloride (KCl), calcium chloride (CaCl₂ ), or magnesium chloride (MgCl₂ ). However, in cheese, salt reduction is difficult to accomplish owing to its multifaceted role in cheese making. Considering the significant contribution in dietary salt intake (DSI) from cheese, researchers across the globe are exploring various technical interventions to develop reduced-sodium cheeses (RSCs) without jeopardizing the quality and safety of cheeses. Thus, the purpose of this study is to provide an insight of NaCl reduction on sensory, physicochemical, and technofunctional attributes of RSCs with an aim to explore various strategies for salt reduction without affecting the cheese quality and safety. The relationship between salt reduction and survival of pathogenic and spoilage-causing microorganisms and growth of RSCs microflora is also discussed. Based on the understanding of conceptual and applied information on the complex changes that occur in the development of RSCs, the quality and safety of RSCs can be accomplished effectively in order to reduce the DSI from cheese.

Probiotic Yogurt with Brazilian Red Propolis: Physicochemical and Bioactive Properties, Stability, and Shelf Life

This study aimed to evaluate the quality parameters in probiotic yogurt produced with Brazilian red propolis to replace potassium sorbate used in conventional yogurt (CY). Microbiological stability and shelf life, physicochemical properties (pH, acidity, chemical composition, and fatty acids), and bioactive properties (phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity) were evaluated. The addition of red propolis (0.05%) to replace the potassium sorbate did not change the pH, acidity, fatty acid profile, chemical composition, or shelf life. Microbiological stability of at least 28 days was achieved, while a drastic reduction in the lactic acid bacteria content was observed in the CY during refrigeration storage. Phenolic total contents were higher than those of the control, and consequently, yogurt with red propolis showed higher antioxidant activity. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The study indicates that Brazilian red propolis at 0.05% concentration to replace the potassium sorbate is an efficient alternative for use in yogurt production. The knowledge acquired about these types of Brazilian propolis provides an important contribution to food research in the discovery of new functional products to the market, seeking a healthier diet. Therefore, the produced yogurt proves to be an innovative product with functional and probiotic potential to be placed on the market.

The use of of inulin, maltitol and lecithin as fat replacers and plasticizers in a model reduced-fat mozzarella cheese-like product

BACKGROUND

Mono-, di- and oligosaccharides, polyhydric alcohols and lipids are three main types of plasticizers used to process food materials. In the present study, inulin, maltitol and lecithin were selected as representative oligosaccharide, polyhydric alcohol and lipid fat replacers, respectively. Their effects on the physicochemical properties of reduced-fat mozzarella cheese were evaluated.

RESULTS

Lecithin reduced the hardness and increased the degree of free oil released. Inulin and lecithin decreased the hydrophobic interaction of reduced-fat cheese. Maltitol improved the elasticity of the reduced-fat cheese and increased the hydrophobic interaction within the casein matrix. Maltitol-added cheese had a lower glass transition temperature (T_g ) than the other cheeses. Maltitol significantly improved the stretchability of the reduced-fat cheese.

CONCLUSION

The results obtained in the present study suggest that maltitol is an effective fat replacer in reduced-fat mozzarella cheese and might enhance the cheese's functional properties. The T_g of cheese was related to the water and fat content, fat replacer addition and cross-linking degree of casein. The relationship between T_g and the physicochemical properties of cheese will be studied in further research. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Probiotic Prato cheese attenuates cigarette smoke-induced injuries in mice

The efficacy of probiotic Prato cheese against the inflammatory and oxidative damage in mice organs induced by cigarette smoke exposure was investigated. Forty C57BL/6 male mice were assigned to four groups: (CS) exposed to cigarette smoke and fed regular chow; (CS + C) exposed to cigarette smoke and fed daily conventional cheese ad libitum; (CS + PC) exposed to cigarette smoke and fed daily probiotic (Lactobacillus casei-01) cheese ad libitum; and a control group (C) exposed to ambient smoke-free air and fed regular chow. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), blood, gut and liver homogenates were used for biochemical assays. The (CS + PC) group exhibited fewer BAL leukocytes, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and BAL and gut lipid peroxidation than the (CS) and (CS + C) groups, which had findings similar to the (C) group. Probiotic cheese consumption did not change the red blood cell count, but lower lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels in plasma, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and peroxynitrite expression were observed compared to the (CS) and (CS + C) groups, with findings similar to the (C) group. These results suggest that probiotic Prato cheese consumption reduced oxidative stress in the lungs, gut, and liver.

Behavior of different Bacillus strains with claimed probiotic properties throughout processed cheese ("requeijão cremoso") manufacturing and storage

Even though spore-forming bacteria have been mainly linked to spoilage or foodborne pathogens vehiculated through foods, some strains of Bacillus can potentially present probiotic properties. The advantage of incorporating probiotic Bacillus strains in foods relies mainly on the fact that these microorganisms present high resistance to harsh processing conditions. "Requeijão cremoso" is a type of processed cheese highly appreciated in Brazil. During processing, this product is submitted to several harsh conditions (heating at 90 °C, for instance), leading to the inactivation of probiotic bacteria belonging to Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium genera. That fact has precluded the development of probiotic "requeijão cremoso" products; however, probiotic Bacillus strains may comprise a promising alternative to overcome the low resistance of traditional probiotics to food processing. The objective of this study was to evaluate the behavior of different Bacillus strains with claimed probiotic properties throughout processed cheese ("requeijão cremoso") manufacturing. A total of five different Bacillus strains with claimed probiotic properties (B. coagulans MTCC 5856, B. coagulans GBI-30 6086, B. subtilis PXN 21, B. subtilis PB6, and B. flexus HK1) were individually inoculated at different stages of manufacture - curd pasteurization, coagulation, and fusion - of "requeijão cremoso" and their survival in each of these stages was determined. The survival of B. coagulans GBI-30 6086 was further assessed throughout "requeijão cremoso" production and shelf life (45 days at 6 °C). Besides, the chemical composition, level of proteolysis, and fatty acid profile of the treatments during shelf life were evaluated. The fusion stage was found as the most appropriate for the addition of B. coagulans GBI-30 6086, which allows the production of probiotic "requeijão cremoso" and facilitates the technological process while preventing the occurrence of final product recontamination.

Development of Reduced-Fat, Reduced-Sodium Semi-Hard Sheep Milk Cheese

This paper examines the effects of the incorporation of denatured whey proteins along with salting in NaCl/KCl brine on the characteristics and ripening of sheep milk reduced-fat (RF), semi-hard cheese. Incorporation of denatured whey proteins was carried out by: i. adding commercial microparticulated whey protein (MWP) in reduced-fat cheese milk (RFM), or ii. by ‘in situ’ heat-induced partial denaturation of whey proteins of reduced-fat cheese milk (RFD). The implemented cheesemaking conditions included curd washing, moderate clotting, scalding temperatures, and ripening of cheeses packed in plastic bags under vacuum at 10 °C. Full-fat cheeses (FF) were manufactured in parallel. Physicochemical composition, textural profile, and proteolysis were assessed throughout 60 days of ripening. The mean moisture, fat on dry matter (FDM), moisture on non-fat substances (MNFS), protein on dry matter (PDM), salt, and salt-in-moisture (S/M) content of the RF cheeses were 47.4%, 32.8%, 57.3%, 54.3%, 1.63%, and 3.36%, respectively; pH ≈ 5.0, a_w ≈ 0.977, Ca ≈ 1000 mg/100 g cheese. The MNFS of FF and RF cheeses were similar. Proteolysis indices were not affected by any of the treatments, and they were similar to the FF counterparts. The applied cheesemaking technology was adequate for the production of semi-hard reduced-fat and reduced-sodium cheeses. Ripening under packaging hindered moisture loss without impairing the evolution of proteolysis and textural parameters. The same holds true for salting in NaCl/KCl brine. The high pasteurization of cheese milk was more effective for the increase of moisture and MNFS than the addition of MWP, without exhibiting any adverse effects.

Komagataeibacter xylinus as a novel probiotic candidate with high glucose conversion rate properties

Promoting general health in terms of obesity and diabetes prevention is recommended by health care systems. The objectives of this study were to isolate an efficient glucose-converting Komagataeibacter xylinus to cellulose and to evaluate the safety of the selected strain as a new generation of probiotics in the fight against obesity. Of the 97 samples, 43 K xylinus strains were isolated and evaluated for their glucose conversion rate and 5 strains were examined for probiotic activities by in vitro assays. A strain with significant performance was fed to rats in order to determine its safety status in vivo. The results revealed that the strain K.X.1 had high level of glucose conversion rate and significant survival rate in acidic pH and bile salt. No adverse clinical signs and bacterial translocation to rats’ organs were observed. The results showed that the strain of K. xylinus K.X.1 has suitable probiotic properties.

Dairy foods and positive impact on the consumer's health

The objective of the present chapter was to demonstrate the state of the art in the recent advances in nutritional and functional components of dairy products research. In this chapter, the main mechanisms responsible and essential for a better understanding of nutritional and functional values of the components of milk and dairy products are highlighted. It also includes a discussion about the positive impacts of fermented milk, cheese, butter, ice cream, and dairy desserts components on the consumer's health.

Tap water is one of the drivers that establish and assembly the lactic acid bacterium biota during sourdough preparation

This study aimed at assessing the effect of tap water on the: (i) lactic acid bacteria (LAB) population of a traditional and mature sourdough; and (ii) establishment of LAB community during sourdough preparation. Ten tap water, collected from Italian regions characterized by cultural heritage in leavened baked goods, were used as ingredient for propagating or preparing firm (type I) sourdoughs. The same type and batch of flour, recipe, fermentation temperature and time were used for propagation/preparation, being water the only variable parameter. During nine days of propagation of a traditional and mature Apulian sourdough, LAB cell density did not differ, and the LAB species/strain composition hardly changed, regardless of the water. When the different tap water were used for preparing the corresponding sourdoughs, the values of pH became lower than 4.5 after two to four fermentations. The type of water affected the assembly of the LAB biome. As shown by Principal Components Analysis, LAB population in the sourdoughs and chemical and microbiological features of water used for their preparation partly overlapped. Several correlations were found between sourdough microbiota and water features. These data open the way to future researches about the use of various types of water in bakery industry.

Formation and Alterations of the Potentially Harmful Maillard Reaction Products during the Production and Storage of Brown Fermented Milk

To improve the quality and safety of brown fermented milk (BFM), the formation and alterations of potentially harmful Maillard reaction products (MRPs), including 3-deoxyglucosone (3-DG), methylglyoxal (MGO), 5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-furfural (HMF), acrylamide and flavour components were investigated during the browning, fermentation and commercial storage. MRPs were shown to be produced mainly during the browning stage. The levels of different substances varied during the fermentation and commercial storage stage. The proportion and type of carboxylic acids in the flavour components significantly increased during the fermentation stage. Browning index of milk during the browning stage was shown to be positively associated with the 3-DG (Pearson's r = 0.9632), MGO (Pearson's r = 0.9915), HMF (Pearson's r = 0.9772), and acrylamide (Pearson's r = 0.7910) levels and the total percentage of the flavour components from four different categories (Pearson's r = 0.7407). Changes in physicochemical properties of BFM during production not only contribute to predict the formation of potentially unhealthy MRPs, but also Lactobacillus species used for the fermentation should be carefully selected to improve the quality of this product.