The present invention relates to a composition suitable for preparing a dairy product comprising at least one starter culture and a Lactobacillus rhamnosus strain capable of imparting onto the dairy product and enhanced creamy flavor without affecting the rheology negatively, the fonnentation time or the post-acidification of the dairy product. The present invention further relates to processes for preparing a dairy product, such as a low-fat yoghurt or cheese, which has a high content of diacetyl. A Lactobacillus rhamnosus strain useful for preparing such dairy product is also part of the present invention.

The dairy industry today faces a problem of providing an alternative to adding sweeteners to fermented milk products in order to achieve the desired sweet taste without the added calories. Furthermore, it would be highly advantageous to establish a method for reducing lactose in fermented milk products to a level which is acceptable for lactose-intolerant consumers. The above problems have been solved by providing mutant Streptococcus thermophilus strains and mutant Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus strains that excrete glucose to the milk when the milk is inoculated and fermented with such Streptococcus thermophilus strains and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp, bulgaricus strains. Thus, the present invention relates to strains of Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp, bulgaricus which secrete glucose to the milk substrate during fermentation, as well as to mixed cultures comprising the Streptococcus thermophilus strains and the Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp, bulgaricus strains, starter cultures comprising the strains and dairy products manufactured with the cultures. The present method also relates to use of the strains for decreasing the lactose content of a fermented food product and for boosting growth of the probiotic BB-12.

Methods of production of edible filamentous fungal biomat formulations are provided as standalone protein sources and/or protein ingredients in foodstuffs as well as a one-time use or repeated use self-contained biomat reactor comprising a container with at least one compartment and placed within the compartment(s), a feedstock, a fungal inoculum, a gas-permeable membrane, and optionally a liquid nutrient medium.

Methods of production of edible filamentous fungal biomat formulations are provided as standalone protein sources and/or protein ingredients in foodstuffs as well as a one-time use or repeated use self-contained biomat reactor comprising a container with at least one compartment and placed within the compartment(s), a feedstock, a fungal inoculum, a gas-permeable membrane, and optionally a liquid nutrient medium.

Methods of production of edible filamentous fungal biomat formulations are provided as standalone protein sources and/or protein ingredients in foodstuffs as well as a one-time use or repeated use self-contained biomat reactor comprising a container with at least one compartment and placed within the compartment(s), a feedstock, a fungal inoculum, a gas-permeable membrane, and optionally a liquid nutrient medium.

A processed cheese composition and methods of making the processed cheese composition are provided. The processed cheese composition includes natural cheese, dairy materials and a cultured dairy component. The raw cheese is provided in a range of about 10 to about 90 weight %. The dairy materials are provided in a range of about 5 to about 50 weight % and include at least one of the group consisting of milk protein concentrate, whey protein concentrate, whey, milkfat and cream. The cultured dairy component is provided in a range of about 1 to about 20 weight % and includes an antibacterial material and/or antibacterial producing bacterial culture in combination with an exopolysaccharide and/or an exopolysaccharide producing culture.

The present invention relates to a method for preparing a camembert type cheese using a well-defined starter culture.

Bacteriophage Insensitive Mutants (BIMs) of three Streptococcus thermophilus parent strains were generated and characterized for phage sensitivity, sedimentation rate, cell chain length, phage adsorption and CRISPR loci alterations. Several BIMs showed an altered sedimentation phenotype as well as an increase cell chain length, reduced phage sensitivity, reduced phage adsorption and 100% identity in three CRISPR loci. The results show that the derived BIMs have become phage-resistant through a mechanism other than CRISPR.

The present invention relates to a novel Lactobacillus strain that is not attacked by common phages and a novel Lactobacillus strain with improved cell count stability, its use in the manufacture of fermented milk-based products, and novel milk based products containing the strain.

This invention provides an IFN inducer comprising, as an active ingredient, lactic acid bacteria and capable of inducing IFN production, an immunopotentiating agent or prophylactic agent against virus infection comprising such inducer, and a food or drink product comprising such IFN inducer and having IFN-inducing activity, immunopotentiating activity, or prophylactic activity against virus infection. The agent for inducing IFN production comprises, as active ingredients, lactic acid bacteria that can activate plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) and promote IFN production, such as Lactococcus garvieae NBRC100934, Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris JCM16167, Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris NBRC100676, Lactococcus lactis subsp. hordniae JCM1180, Lactococcus lactis subsp. hordniae JCM11040, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis NBRC12007, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis NRIC1150, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis JCM5805, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis JCM20101, Leuconostoc lactis NBRC12455, Leuconostoc lactis NRIC1540, Pediococcus damnosus JCM5886, or Streptococcus thermophilus TA-45.