CHEMICAL AND SENSORY EFFECTS OF A LACTOBACILLUS ADJUNCT IN CHEDDAR CHEESE

Cheddar cheeses were made using lactic starter and traditional methods with 0 (control), 10(2), or 10(3) CFU of Lactobacillus helveticus WSU 19 added as an adjunct. Cheeses containing the higher concentration of the Lactobacillus adjunct received significantly higher flavor scores from the dairy judges than the other cheeses after 3 and 6 months agi ng (P less than or equal to 0.05). The attribute panelists perceived b oth cheeses with the Lactobacillus adjunct as more crumbly and higher in oaky/nutty flavors than control Cheddar cheeses (P less than or equ al to 0.05). Difference panelists could detect significant differences among the cheeses after 6 months aging (P less than or equal to 0.05) . Consumer acceptance scores were significantly higher (P less than or equal to 0.05) for cheeses containing the adjunct after 6 months agin g. Cheeses containing the Lactobacillus adjunct exhibited significantl y greater rates of proteolysis than control Cheddar cheeses. Sodium do decyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis gels of cheeses with the Lactobacillus adjunct contained an 11 kD band after 3 and 6 months aging that was not present in control Cheddar cheeses. L. helveticus WSU19 enhances protein breakdown and increases oaky/nutty flavor and c onsumer acceptance in Cheddar cheeses. Copyright (C) 1996 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd on behalf of the Canadian Institute of Food Scie nce and Technology.