Effect of starter cultures on the chemical and lipolytic content, nitrogen fraction and casein degradation of White-brined cheese

The influence of four commercially available different starter cultures, namely cheese culture CC (Lactoccocus (Lc.) lactis ssp. lactis and Lc. lactis ssp. cremoris), yoghurt culture YC (Streptococcus (St.) thermophilus and Lactobacillus (Lb.) delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus), helveticus culture HC (Lb. helveticus) and YC+HC mixed cultures (St. thermophilus and Lb. delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus + Lb. helveticus; 1:1) on the chemical composition, lipolysis, proteolysis levels and casein fractions of White-brined cheese were investigated during ripening for 90 days. The total solids, fat, protein and pH values of White-brined cheese increased with addition of cheese (CC) and yoghurt (YC) starter cultures. The titratable acidity, WSN, TCA-SN and lipolysis values of cheese samples was affected significantly by the addition of Lb. helveticus during ripening. As other ripening values, the alpha(s1)- and beta-caseins of the cheeses were degraded at a higher rate in the HC cheeses containing Lb. helveticus cultures than in the other cheeses. However, alpha(s1)-l peptid and casein breakdown metabolites were higher in the same cheeses than in white cheeses produced with other cultures.