COMPARISON OF DIFFERENT STARTER SYSTEMS FOR WATER-BUFFALO MOZZARELLA CHEESE MANUFACTURE

Natural whey cultures, a thermophilic multiple strain starter (Lactobacillus helveticus and Streptococcus thermophilus) and a more complex multiple strain starter, including both thermophilic and mesophilic bacteria and a yeast (L delbrueckii subsp lactis, S thermophilus, Lactococcus lactis subsp lactis, Lactoc lactis subsp diacetylactis, Enterococcus faecalis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp dextranicum and Kluyveromyces marxianus) and artificial acidification (addition of citric acid) were used for the manufacture of water-buffalo Mozzarella cheese. Whey acidity, fermentation end-products and microbial populations were monitored during cheese manufacture. A scorecard for sensory evaluation of water-buffalo Mozzarella cheese was developed and used to compare the cheeses obtained with the different procedures. The traditional technology (raw milk and natural whey cultures) allowed shorter manufacturing times due to faster acid production during ripening. Cheeses produced with the thermophilic multiple strain starter and citric acid addition obtained the lowest scores in sensory evaluation. When the complex multiple strain starter was used scores were slightly higher and more constant than those obtained using traditional technology.