The present invention relates to a process for making low-moisture mozzarella cheese using recent developments in the technical knowledge about the interactions between cultures, coagulants and cheese technology to increase cheese yields and maintain the cheese quality and functionalities. An optimization may lead to a higher pH and higher dry matter of the curd at the whey off step i.e. pH higher than 6.3 and ideally higher than 6.4 and solid non-fact content higher than 18%, without any modification of the curd composition at the stretching step, i.e. pH between 5.0 and 5.3 and more precisely between without any modification of the curd composition at the stretching step, i.e. pH between 5.0 and 5.3 and more precisely between 5.05 and 5.25, Ca/SNF between 1.7% and 2.4% and more precisely between 1.7 and 2.2%, dry matter between 53% and 55% and more precisely between 53.5% and 54.5%. The coagulant has a C/P ratio of at least 25. This optimization may also lead to a reduction in the processing time in the cheese vat (near 15%), so a real increase in the through-put and profitability of the cheese vats.

The invention relates to a method for generating a Streptococcus thermophilus strain exhibiting a high galactose utilization profile, which is characterized by a high percentage of consumed galactose at the maximum speed of lactose consumption and optionally a high percentage of consumed galactose at the end of lactose consumption (both as determined by assay I), comprising modifying the sequence of the gal-lac gene cluster. The invention also relates to a Streptococcus thermophilus strain obtained or obtainable by this method, to a Streptococcus thermophilus strain characterized both by the sequence of its gal-lac gene cluster and its high galactose utilization profile, to a culture and kit-of part comprising such strains, as well as to the use of such strains in food applications.

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.

The present invention relates to a bacterial cell with texturizing property, starter cultures comprising the cell, and dairy products manufactured using the bacterial cell.

The application is directed to a method to manufacture pasta-filata cheese based on cultures comprising or consisting of either 1) at least a galactose-positive Streptococcus thermophilus strain as defined herein or 2) at least a Streptococcus thermophilus strain and a Lactococcus lactis strain, and to a stretched curd or cheese produced by this method. The application is also directed to a culture or kit-of-part comprising or consisting of a) a galactose-positive Streptococcus thermophilus strain as defined herein, and b) Lactococcus strain(s) and/or Lactobacillus helveticus strain(s).

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.

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.

The invention relates to bacterial strains having an outstanding ability to produce menaquinone and to applications thereof.

The present invention relates to the manufacture of cheese, especially cottage cheese, by fermenting milk with lactic acid bacteria.