Bacteria breakthrough could create brand new cheese flavors
From camembert to stilton, the rich and diverse flavors that make cheese taste so delicious are strongly connected to beneficial bacteria, which spontaneously grow inside the cheese as mold ripens on its surface.
As they degrade the proteins and lipid molecules found in milk fat, these microbes trigger complex chemical and microbiological reactions, which shape the tastes and physical textures in cheese which many of us know and love.
And, for the first time, a new set of experiments has shown how the unique flavors of different cheeses can be linked to specific types of bacteria that develop as they ripen. The discoveries could lead to new and improved cheesemaking techniques, enhance the safety of cheese production, and — possibly — even create distinctive new flavors.
The challenge: Despite the important roles bacteria play, cheesemakers have only recently started to pay them much attention to their specific roles in producing cheese’s characteristic flavors. In many cases, their ingredients and processing techniques were developed over centuries, with no detailed knowledge of the microbiological mechanisms involved.
Today, these traditional cheeses are incredibly diverse — and incredibly chemically complex. Because of this, researchers have so far been unable to uncover connections between specific types of bacteria, and the flavors they produce.
The flavors of different cheeses can be linked to specific types of bacteria that develop as they ripen.
Banking bacteria: Now, a team of researchers in Japan have designed a new experiment to identify and examine the specific bacteria responsible for producing characteristic cheese flavors.
In their study, Morio Ishikawa and colleagues at the Tokyo University of Agriculture drew from their previous research involving three specific phyla of bacteria: named Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and lactic acid bacteria.
Using advanced statistical analysis, the researchers proved for the first time that these…
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