Development of a Potential Probiotic Fresh Cheese Using TwoLactobacillus salivariusStrains Isolated from Human Milk

Abstract

Cheeses have been proposed as a good alternative to other fermented milk products for the delivery of probiotic bacteria to the consumer. The objective of this study was to assess the survival of twoLactobacillus salivariusstrains (CECT5713 and PS2) isolated from human milk during production and storage of fresh cheese for 28 days at 4°C. The effect of such strains on the volatile compounds profile, texture, and other sensorial properties, including an overall consumer acceptance, was also investigated. BothL. salivariusstrains remained viable in the cheeses throughout the storage period and a significant reduction in their viable counts was only observed after 21 days. Globally, the addition of theL. salivariusstrains did not change significantly neither the chemical composition of the cheese nor texture parameters after the storage period, although cheeses manufactured withL. salivariusCECT5713 presented significantly higher values of hardness. A total of 59 volatile compounds were identified in the headspace of experimental cheeses, and someL. salivarius-associated differences could be identified. All cheeses presented good results of acceptance after the sensory evaluation. Consequently, our results indicated that fresh cheese can be a good vehicle for the twoL. salivariusstrains analyzed in this study.