Charakterystyka komercyjnych kultur starterowych stosowanych w przemysle mleczarskim

A review is presented on the present status of commercial dairy starter cultures, their practical applications in the dairy industry and potential role as protective cultures. Starter cultures are those microorganisms that are used in the production of cultured dairy products such as yogurt, kefir and cheese. The natural microflora of milk is inefficient, uncontrollable, and unpredictable, or is destroyed by the heat treatments applied to the milk. A starter culture can provide particular characteristics in a more controlled and predictable fermentation. The characteristic and properties of mesophilic and termophilic lactic acid bacteria (LAB), yeast and mould starter cultures were discussed. The primary function of lactic starters is the production of lactic acid from lactose. There are 3 groups of LAB starter cultures: single strain, single species and multispecies, in which the number and properties of LAB are known. Fermentation of milk by LAB is one of the oldest forms of practiced biopreservation. Due to proteolytic and lipolytic activities and production of exopolysaccharides (EPS) LAB also has an influence on flavor, aroma, color, smell, acidity and viscosity of final products. There are also kefir starter cultures used in the dairy industry instead of traditional kefir grains that contain lactococci, homofermentative and heterofermentative lactobacilli, yeasts and acetic acid bacteria. The positive aspect of yeasts and moulds used in dairy technology is also reviewed. It is known that many yeasts and mould strains are used for cheese making as co-starters with LAB, due to their proteolytic and lipolytic properties.