Characteristics of Manchego cheese manufactured from raw and pasteurized ovine milk and with defined-strain or commercial mixed-strain starter cultures

Microbiological, chemical, rheological, and sensory characteristics of Manchego cheese manufactured with raw or pasteurized milk and with a defined-strain starter culture made up of four Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis isolates from high quality artisanal Manchego cheese have been compared with those of cheese made with a commercial mixed-strain starter culture. Higher total viable counts and lower pH values after 24 h were detected in both raw and pasteurized milk cheeses made with the defined-strain starter culture, which survived better than did the commercial mixed-strain starter culture during ripening of pasteurized milk cheese. Differences in proteolysis of raw milk cheeses were reduced, whereas lower concentrations of residual caseins and higher concentrations of pH 4.6-soluble N and TCA-soluble N were observed in pasteurized milk cheeses made with the commercial mixed-strain starter culture. Elasticity, fracturability, and hardness were higher in raw and pasteurized milk cheeses made with the defined-strain starter culture. Flavor quality and intensity were not apparently affected by the starter culture used, whereas cheese bitterness was lower in raw and in pasteurized milk cheeses made with the defined-strain starter culture.