Mesophilic Lactobacillus spp. are the dominant organisms in mature Cheddar
cheese. The heat resistance of broth grown cultures of Lactobacillus planta
rum DPC1919 at temperatures between 50 and 57.5 degrees C, Lact. plantarum
DPC2102 at temperatures between 48 and 56 degrees C and Lact, paracasei DPC
2103 at temperatures between 50 and 67.5 degrees C was determined. The z-va
lues for Lairs. plantarum DPC1919, Lact. plantarum DPC2102 and Lacs. paraca
sei DPC2103 were 6.7 degrees C, 6.2 degrees C and 5.3 degrees C, respective
ly. Lactobacillus paracasei DPC2103 showed evidence of injury and recovery,
especially at higher temperatures, Milk grown cultures of strains DPC2102
and DPC2103 showed greater beat resistance than broth grown cultures, raili
ng of the death curves and a nonlinear z-curve. Of the three strains, Lact.
paracasei DPC2103 had the potential to survive pasteurization temperatures
, whether grown in milk or broth.