A nutritional composition obtainable by fermenting a mixture comprising protein, carbohydrate and fat, wherein the major source of protein is potato protein, and wherein the mixture is fermented by lactic acid-producing bacteria.

The present invention is directed to a method of producing a Streptococcus thermophilus strain comprising the steps of a) Providing a mother strain in the form of Streptococcus thermophilus DSM32502, b) Growing a culture of the mother strain in the presence of a bacteriophage, to which the mother strain is not resistant, to obtain a number of mutant strains, which are resistant to the said bacteriophage, c) Measuring the acidification time of the bacteriophage-resistant mutant strains and the mother strain in a milk base and selecting at least one mutant strain with a reduced acidification time as compared to the mother strain to obtain a fast-acidifying mutant strain.

A method for producing a fermented milk product (e.g. a yogurt) with a relatively high stable pH value at the end of the fermentation comprising inoculating milk with Streptococcus thermophilus (ST) Gal(+) bacteria.

The present invention relates to a method for selecting a yoghurt sample with a creamy mouthfeel, comprising the steps of: (i) providing one or more yoghurt samples; (ii) determining from the one or more yoghurt samples the time to breakup using an extensional rheometer; and (iii) optionally, measuring the viscosity and/or shear stress of the one or more yoghurt samples; and (iv) selecting one or more yoghurt samples.

The invention relates to a composition for producing a fermented milk product comprising: (i) a starter culture comprising a glucose-fermenting Streptococcus thermophilus (St) strain and a glucose-fermenting Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus (Lb) strain; and (ii) a glucose-deficient Streptococcus thermophilus (St) strain, wherein said St strain is galactose-fermenting and carries a mutation in the DNA sequence of the glcK gene encoding a glucokinase protein, which mutation inactivates the glucokinase protein or has a negative effect on expression of the gene.

Disclosed is a composition for promoting absorption of a poorly water-soluble phytochemical which can significantly improve the intake of a phytochemical into a body, especially a migration speed and/or a migration amount of the phytochemical into a blood. A polysaccharide-containing lactic acid bacterial product, which is produced by Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus OLL1251, can significantly enhance the intake of a phytochemical into a body, especially a migration speed and/or a migration amount of the phytochemical into a blood. Thus, the composition for promoting absorption of a phytochemical according to the present invention includes, as an active ingredient, the polysaccharide-containing lactic acid bacterial product. Furthermore, the composition for promoting absorption of a phytochemical is useful as a food additive composition. In addition, a food, or a beverage, or a food or beverage composition to which the composition for promoting absorption of a phytochemical is added can obtain an effect of promoting absorption of phytochemical.

The present invention relates to a starter culture comprising at least two Streptococcus thermophilus strains, wherein a first and a second Streptococcus thermophilus strain are chosen from RGP group 1, RGP group 2, RGP group 3 and RGP group 4, with the proviso that the first and second Streptococcus thermophilus strains do not belong to the same RGP group.

A method for producing stirred yogurt, whereby raw milk is treated with a protein glutaminase to form a modified milk prior to fermentation with a starter culture. After fermentation, a gel structure of the resulting yogurt is then disrupted to form the stirred yogurt. Under such a sequence, stirred yogurts are formed having sufficiently high viscosities without the need for thickeners or cross-linking enzymes.

The present invention relates to a bacterial cell with texturizing property, starter cultures comprising the cell, and diary products fermented with the starter culture.

The invention relates to improved acid whey compositions, having an improve lactose content and stability. The invention also relates to processes of making such compositions.