Evolution of Free Amino Acids during the Ripening of Cheddar Cheese Containing Added Lactobacilli Strains

Cheddar cheese was produced with different lactobacilli strains added to accelerate ripening. The concentration of proteolytic products was determined as free amino acids in the water‐soluble fraction at two, four, seven and nine months of aging and at two different maturation temperatures (6°C, 15°C). All amino acids increased during ripening and were higher in the Lactobacillus ‐ added cheeses than in the control cheese, and higher in cheeses ripened at 15°C than at 6°C. Glutamic acid, leucine, phenylalanine, valine and lysine were generally in higher proportion in all cheeses. The cheeses with added L. casei‐casei L2A were classified as having a “strong Cheddar cheese” flavor after only seven months of ripening at 6°C.