Evaluation of the efficacy of commercial protective cultures to inhibit mold and yeast in cottage cheese

Biopreservation is defined as using microbes, their constituents, or both to control spoilage while satisfying consumer demand for clean-label products. The study objective was investigate the efficacy of bacterial cultures in biopreserving cottage cheese against postprocessing fungal contamination. Cottage curd and dressing were sourced from a manufacturer New York State. Dressing inoculated with 3 different commercial protective cultures—PC1 (mix Lacticaseibacillus spp. Lactiplantibacillus spp.), PC2 (Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus), PC3 (Lactic. rhamnosus)—following recommended dosage then mixed curd. A no culture included. Nine species yeast (Candida zeylanoides, Clavispora lusitaniae, Debaryomyces hansenii, prosopidis, Kluyveromyces marxianus, Meyerozyma guilliermondii, Pichia fermentans, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, Torulaspora delbrueckii) 11 mold (Aspergillus cibarius, Aureobasidium pullulans, Penicillium chrysogenum, citrinum, commune, decumbens, roqueforti, Mucor genevensis, racemosus, Phoma dimorpha, Trichoderma amazonicum) included study. Fungi strains previously isolated dairy processing environments onto surface at rate 20 cfu/g. Cheese stored 6 ± 2°C. Yeast levels enumerated 0, 7, 14, 21 d postinoculation. Mold growth visually observed on weekly basis through 42 storage imaged. Overall, limited ability delay outgrowth cheese, only 8 showing an effect compared control. not very effective yeast, PC1 able strains: D. Tor. delbrueckii, Mey. guilliermondii. these molds more promising, all least 1 strain. Both Pen. chrysogenum Pho. dimorpha outgrowth, also delayed roqueforti extents controls. This demonstrates that lactic acid bacteria vary performance thus each should be evaluated specific fungi concern within facility.