CHEMICAL AND MICROBIOLOGICAL CHANGES DURING RIPENING OF IRANIAN SALT-SUBSTITUTED PROBIOTIC WHITE CHEESE.

The objective of this study was to manufacture a probiotic cheese with partial submission of NaCl with KCl., Iranian white brine cheeses (4 trials) were made by varying processes such as partial submission of NaCl with KCl and use of probiotic adjunct culture on separate days. All types of cheeses were ripened at 13 °C for 2 weeks and at 6°C to the end of ripening period. Cheeses were analyzed for the compositional, microbiological, color and sensory characteristics as well as lipolysis and organic acid profile. Cheese of each trial was sampled at 1, 15, 30, 45 and 60 days during ripening. Results of this study showed that partial substitution of NaCl by KCl has no significant effect on the physicochemical and sensory properties, color, organic acids production and lipolysis of cheeses. Substitution provided positive effects on L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus counts. Inclusion of probiotic microorganisms in the white brine cheese increased protein content and organic acids production and decreased lipolysis. In conclusion, Iranian probotic salt substituted cheese is a functional food with potential as to be used in patients with cardiac and renal diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]