Production of bifidus kariesh cheese

Bifidobacterium bifidum were grown in different whey, permeate and milk-bas ed media. Supplementation of these media with 0.5% (w/v) yeast extract exhi bited higher population of bifidobacteria than soy extract, cystein, lysine and ascorbic acid. However, soy extract enhanced growth of B. bifidum in m ilk. The treatment of skim milk with P-galactosidase (7 mu/ml) stimulated g rowth of bifidobacteria specially when yeast extract and soy extract was su pplemented to the milk in the same time. Kariesh bifidus cheese was success fully produced with high population of B. bifidum reached more than 3 x 10( 10) cell/g after 5 days of storage at 7 degrees C+/-1. By the end of storag e period (10 days) the viable count was decreased to 3 x 10(8) cell/g but s till more than the recommended population (10(6) cell/g) in such cases. Kariesh cheese was acceptable when organoleptically evaluated and gained hi gher scores than kariesh cheese prepared using yoghurt starter.