Survival of the probiotic adjunct culture Bifidobacterium longum and cheese starters during ripening of white brined cheese, effect of the probiotic culture on physicochemical properties and sensorial attributes of cheeses were investigated throughout 90 d of ripening. Bifidobacterium longum were able to survive at higher levels (>10(7 )cfu/g cheese) than the therapeutic minimum (10(6)-10(7 )cfu/g cheese) after 90 d and did not have any negative effect on the survival of Streptococcus spp. (including common cheese starters). Incorporation of the probiotic adjunct into white brined cheese and high levels of their survival rates during ripening had an insignificant effect on the composition of cheeses. Results indicated that white brined cheese is a suitable food matrix for the delivery of B. longum used in this study, and white brined cheeses with B. longum may be considered as a probiotic dairy product.
Keywords: Adjunct culture; functional food; probiotic cheese.