An investigation of the autolytic properties of three lactococcal strains during cheese ripening

Conor M. O'Donovan, Martin G. Wilkinson, Timothy P. Guinee, Patrick F. Fox

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Cheddar cheeses were manufactured using Lactococcus lactis ssp. cremoris AM2 (a non-bitter strain), HP (a bitter strain) or 303 (a commercial starter). Lysis was monitored in the cheese at various intervals over a 10-week ripening period by measuring the activities of intracellular marker enzymes [lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) and post-proline dipeptidyl aminopeptidase (Pep X)] in the cheese juice. On day 1 of ripening, starter cell counts in cheeses manufactured using strain HP or 303 were in the range 109-1010 cfu g-1 cheese compared to 108 for AM2. Viability of starter strains during ripening decreased in the order: 303 > HP > > AM2. Autolysis of the different strains, as indicated by the release of the marker enzymes, during cheese ripening decreased in the order: AM2 > > 303 > HP. The degree of secondary proteolysis followed a similar trend to autolysis. Neither NSLAB numbers nor inter-strain variations in the specific activity of intracellular marker enzymes appeared to influence the activity of marker enzymes in Cheddar cheese during a 10-week ripening period.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1149-1165
Number of pages17
JournalInternational Dairy Journal
Volume6
Issue number11-12
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Nov 1996
Externally publishedYes

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