Production of Cottage Cheese Using Dressing Fermented by Bifidobacteria

Abstract

Creamed cottage cheese was produced by adding cream dressing fermented by Bifidobacterium infantis to the dry curd. During the storage of creamed cottage cheese, viability and β-galactosidase activity of B. infantis and biochemical changes such as lactose hydrolysis were estimated. Bifidobacteria survived in cottage cheese for 10 to 15 d. Storage of cottage cheese using unfermented dressing or dressing fermented to pH ≥5.0 had little effect on β-galactosidase activity of B. infantis. Loss of enzymatic activity was more pronounced in cheese using dressing fermented to pH 4.5. During storage, loss of viability of B. infantis was greater than loss of enzymatic activity, which suggested that cells that were unable to reproduce still maintained their enzymatic activity and could contribute to decreasing the lactose content of the creamed cottage cheese. After 29 d of storage, lactose content in cottage cheese decreased 83% after addition of unfermented dressing or dressing fermented to pH ≥5.0. However, lactose hydrolysis was slightly lower (73%) in cottage cheese with added dressing fermented to pH 4.5. Finally, consumers preferred the control cottage cheese and the cottage cheese made with the dressing fermented to pH 5.5 to the cottage cheese with added dressing fermented to pH 4.5. The results indicated that B. infantis introduced into fresh cheese exhibited vigorous metabolic activity during storage for 28 d.