A new type of ripened, low-fat cheese with bioactive properties

The aim of our study was to develop a new type of cheese with potential health effects. The cheese was produced by using cheese starter cultures in combination with Lactobacillus acidophilus and bifidobacteria. The viability and growth of L. acidophilus and bifidobacteria in the cheese were monitored during ripening for 13 weeks and during storage up to 4 months. Optimisation of cheese manufacture by varying the temperature and time of ripening yielded a new, low-fat cheese with a strong flavour and taste. The fat content was reduced to approximately 11% with no adverse effect on organoleptic quality. In our analyses, the ripened cheese was found to contain bioactive peptides with potential antihypertensive effects. On the basis of these results we suggest that the new cheese, developed on the basis of our studies, may have a beneficial impact on health. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.