Method for making cheese

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for making Cheddar type and Continental type cheese with an adjunct culture comprising a Lactobacillus helveticus strain.

1 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A process for improving the texture and/or taste and/or flavour of cheese, comprising:
 adding to milk
 a lactic acid bacteria culture comprising a strain belonging to a genus selected from the group consisting of:  Lactococcus, Leuconostoc, Pediococcus, Streptococcus , and  Enterococcus , and 
 a non-acidifying  Lactobacillus helveticus  strain, wherein the non-acidifying  Lactobacillus helveticus  strain is not able to lower the pH more than 1.5 pH Units from start pH 6.5 after 10 hours incubation at 37° C. when inoculated from a fresh over night culture at inoculation dose 1.5×10 7  cfu/ml into 200 ml of milk, and 
 a coagulant, such as a milk-clotting enzyme; 
   and then   heating the resultant mixture to a temperature in the range of 30 to 45 degrees C.   
     
     
         25 . The process of  claim 24 , which comprises, after heating the mixture to a temperature in the range of 30 to 45 degrees C., holding the mixture at that temperature range for 5 to 70 minutes immediately before whey removal or pre-pressing under whey. 
     
     
         26 . The process of  claim 24 , wherein the non-acidifying  Lactobacillus helveticus  strain is not able to lower the pH more than 1.5 pH Units from start pH 6.5 after 10 hours incubation at 37° C. when inoculated from a fresh over night culture at inoculation dose 1.5×10 7  cfu/ml into 200 of ml milk prepared from 9.5% skim milk powder rehydrated in water (heat treated at 140° C./8 sec and 100° C./30 min). 
     
     
         27 . The process of  claim 26 , wherein the non-acidifying  Lactobacillus helveticus  strain is not able to lower the pH more than 1.3 pH Units from start pH 6.5 after 10 hours incubation at 37° C. when inoculated from a fresh over night culture at inoculation dose 1.5×10 7  cfu/ml into 200 ml of milk. 
     
     
         28 . The process of  claim 24 , wherein the non-acidifying  Lactobacillus helveticus  strain is a mutant of an acidifying strain, the mutant having an at least as high cell wall bound protease activity as the mother strain. 
     
     
         29 . The process of  claim 24 , wherein the non-acidifying  Lactobacillus helveticus  strain is a mutant of an acidifying  Lactobacillus helveticus  strain. 
     
     
         30 . The process of  claim 29 , wherein the non-acidifying  Lactobacillus helveticus  strain is the mutant DSM 19501. 
     
     
         31 . The process according to  claim 24 , wherein the culture comprises a strain selected from the group consisting of  Lactococcus lactis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Pediococcus pentosaceus, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus paracasei, Streptococcus thermophilus, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus delbrueckii  subsp.  bulgaricus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii  subsp.  lactis  and  Lactobacillus acidophilus.    
     
     
         32 . The process of  claim 24 , wherein the cheese to be made is a cheddar type cheese or a continental type cheese, including low-fat cheese. 
     
     
         33 . A cheese obtainable by the process of  claim 24 , such as a cheddar type cheese. 
     
     
         34 . A  Lactobacillus helveticus  strain selected from the group of DSM 19500, DSM 19501, DSM 18879, DSM 18880, DSM 18881, DSM 18871, DSM 18872, DSM 18873, DSM 18883, DSM 18884, and a mutant of any of the foregoing that is not able to lower the pH more than 1.5 pH Units from start pH 6.5 after 10 hours incubation at 37° C. when inoculated from a fresh over night culture at inoculation dose 1.5×10 7  cfu/ml into 200 ml of milk. 
     
     
         35 . A  Lactobacillus helveticus  strain of  claim 34 , wherein said strain is said mutant. 
     
     
         36 . The  Lactobacillus helveticus  strain of  claim 34 , wherein said strain is selected from the group of DSM 19501 and a mutant or variant thereof.