The role of yeast and molds in dairy industry: An update

Abstract

Over the past few decades, understanding of yeasts and molds diversity in environment has grown appreciably. Due to high adaptation capability of these fungal members, they are ubiquitously found in the environment. Decades of research helped humans to recognize and differentiate them into good or bad ones with their ability for use as food products. During evaluation, milk or their structural ingredients were found as one of the efficient matrices to extract profitable things rather than signifying them as illness or spoilage entity. Over the past few years, commercial cultures of yeast has become increasingly popular to produce fermented milk, cheese and ethanol from whey and lactose solutions. Several mold species also find their use in the development of different dairy products. Different mold species are used for ripening of various types of cheese (e.g., Roquefort, Camembert), enzyme production, and dairy waste management. However, fungal spoilage is among one of the major challenges for food and dairy industry and continues to grow with increased demand and production of food and dairy products. Systematic approaches like application of good manufacturing process, new biopreservation techniques, rapid detection methods, and upgraded packaging methods were surely able to reduce their inhibitory effects in the future.