Influence of adjunct cultures of Lactobacillus paracasei ssp paracasei or Lactobacillus plantarum on cheddar cheese ripening

Cheddar cheeses were manufactured in open vats to study the influence of ad junct cultures of mesophilic lactobacilli on proteolysis and the developmen t of sensory characteristics during ripening. Pairs of cheeses (one control and one experimental cheese) were manufactured on consecutive days using L actobacillus paracasei ssp. paracasei (experimental vat A) or Lactobacillus plantarum (experimental vat B) adjuncts. A duplicate cheese-making trial w as carried out 1 wk later. Lactobacilli in the experimental cheeses reached maxima (10(8) to 10(9) cfu/g) after similar to 2 mo and then decreased to 10(6) to 10(7) cfu/g at 6 mo. Numbers of lactobacilli in the control cheese s were lower than in the experimental cheeses until 6 mo of ripening. There after, similar numbers of lactobacilli (similar to 10(6) cfu/g) were presen t in all cheeses until the end of the 9-mo ripening period. Assessment of p rimary proteolysis during ripening showed essentially no differences betwee n the control and experimental cheeses. However, the experimental cheeses ( particularly experimental cheese A) had consistently higher levels of total free amino acids than did their corresponding controls throughout ripening . Sensory analysis of the cheeses (at 3, 6, and 9 mo) showed significant di fferences between the control and experimental cheeses with respect to some important sensory attributes. Principal component analysis of the sensory data clearly differentiated between the aroma and flavor of control and exp erimental cheeses.