Physicochemical, sensory, and microbiological characteristics of 'queso crema' cheese made with lactic acid bacteria as a starter culture

The aim of this work was to isolate lactic acid bacteria from milk and 'queso crema' cheese and evaluate their effect as starter on physicochemical (color, firmness, consistency, moisture, titratable acidity, protein, fat, and ash), sensory (flavor, aroma, texture, creaminess and sourness), and microbiological (total coliforms, molds and yeasts) characteristics of the same cheese made using pasteurized milk. By consecutive plating on MRS agar, 101 strains of different morphologies were isolated from samples of milk and cheese made with unpasteurized milk, of which 26 were presumptively lactic acid. Due to its acidifying capacity (measured as a decreased in pH), seven strains were selected, with which three treatments were formulated (combinations of three strains, called T2-14). The treatment that, after the control cheese (T1) was the most accepted by the judge's panel, was reformulated in three new combinations of two strains each (T5-T7). Of these treatments, 15 (containing strains E16 and E23) was similar in color, aroma, flavor, texture and creaminess to the control (cheese made with unpasteurized milk). Although the T5 cheese was different to control in acidity, the judges could not differentiate (quantitative test) between both samples.