Interactions between propionic acid bacteria and thermophilic lactic acid bacteria

Abstract

The growth of propionic acid bacteria was directly dependent on the concentration of free amino acids in cheese, regardless of the strains of lactobacilli contained in the raw mixed cultures, suggesting that the growth of these bacteria was mainly dependent on the proteolytic activity of lactic acid bacteria. The stimulating effect of S. thermophilus was poor probably because this species produces only low amounts of amino acids in milk or cheese. Lactobacilli, which undergo cell lysis shortly after cheese manufacture, produce large amounts of amino acids. Facultatively heterofermentative lactobacilli were shown to reduce the risk of secondary fermentation in Emmental cheese. This interaction was not due to their production of diacetyl, formate or acetate. Propionibacteria able to grow at 14 °C have a greater tendency to induce secondary fermentation compared to those unable to grow at this temperature. © Inra/Elsevier, Paris.