EFFECT OF LACTIC STARTER CULTURES ON THE ORGANIC-ACID COMPOSITION OF MILK AND CHEESE DURING RIPENING - ANALYSIS BY HPLC

The major function of lactic starter cultures in cheese making is to p roduce lactic and other organic acids from the carbohydrates present i n milk. The activity of six starter cultures consisting of two Lactoco ccus lactis ssp. lactis, two Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis biovar. di acetylactis and two Leuconostoc strains, was tested by monitoring the evolution of the organic acid composition of milk by a modified HPLC m ethod. In addition, their performance as cheese starters was also test ed. The HPLC method developed proved to be a precise tool to monitor t he organic acid content. Thus, it can be used to follow the fermentati on ability of starter cultures, providing information about the type o f fermentation. The use of any of the six starters assayed is suggeste d for manufacturing Afuega'l Pitu cheese.