Probiotic cultures in the cheese industry

PEREZ CHAIA, A.; VINDEROLA G.; ZÁRATE, G.

Handbook of Cheese in Health: Production, Nutrition and Medical Sciences.

Wageningen Academic Publishers

Año: 2013; p. 689 - 702

The intestinal microbiota has many important functions in the ecosystem. The different populations of this community establish interactions that keep them in a state of dynamic equilibrium which disturbance may affect the human wellbeing. The maintenance or restoring of the healthy status is the major claim of probiotics consumption. Among microorganisms used as probiotics, several lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria are the most spread, but other genera have also been studied. The delivery vehicles of these microorganisms to the intestine are frequently dairy products, even when non-dairy beverages, cereals, vegetables and also pharmaceutical preparations may be elaborated. The present article reviews the current knowledge on the selection criteria for beneficial strains and key issues in the development of probiotics dairy products, with special attention to the probiotic cheeses. They have higher pH, a more solid matrix and higher fat content than other dairy products and because of this may protect the probiotic strains which are exposed to aggressive conditions during the gastrointestinal transit. Certain technological characteristics of cheese manufacture should still be considered when designing a probiotic cheese in order to maintain cell viability and quality characteristics of the product, like high salt concentration, time and temperature of storage, the heating and pressing of the curd, among others. However, the suitability of the cheese for the inclusion of probiotics should be highlighted, especially for probiotic strains of the genera Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium and Propionibacterium.