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 process for producing a fermented milk product comprising the steps of 1) adding a starter culture of lactic acid bacteria comprising at least one lactose-deficient Streptococcus thermophilus strain, which is capable of metabolizing a non-lactose carbohydrate, and at least one lactose-deficient Lactococcus lactis strain, which is capable of metabolizing the non-lactose carbohydrate, to a milk base, and 2) fermenting the milk for a period of time until a target pH is reached to obtain a fermented milk product.

New Lactococcus lactis strains, NRRL B-50571 and NRRL B-50572, and a bacterial preparation containing the same, have the ability to produce bioactive peptides that reduce blood pressure, lower LDL-cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and present antioxidant properties for better cardiovascular health. These biologically active peptides may be produced within the food for the production of a food product, such as a functional food, or they may be produced from protein sources and subsequently added to a food as part of the formulation or as part of a food supplement or a pharmaceutical preparation.

New Lactococcus lactis strains, NRRL B-50571 and NRRL B-50572, and a bacterial preparation containing the same, have the ability to produce bioactive peptides that reduce blood pressure, lower LDL-cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and present antioxidant properties for better cardiovascular health. These biologically active peptides may be produced within the food for the production of a food product, such as a functional food, or they may be produced from protein sources and subsequently added to a food as part of the formulation or as part of a food supplement or a pharmaceutical preparation.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a lactic acid bacterial immunopotentiating activity-increasing composition that increases the immunopotentiating activity of lactic acid bacteria having immunopotentiating activity; and a method for increasing the immunopotentiating activity of lactic acid bacteria using the composition; and a composition comprising both of lactic acid bacteria having an immunopotentiating activity and a lactic acid bacterial immunopotentiating activity-increasing composition, wherein the immunopotentiating activity of the lactic acid bacteria is increased. The present invention relates to a composition comprising lactic acid bacteria having an immunopotentiating activity and a lactic acid bacterial immunopotentiating activity-increasing composition comprising an ester compound of a polyol and a saturated fatty acid as an active ingredient.

The present invention relates to the use of phyllosphere-associated lactic acid bacteria that demonstrate inhibitory effects on the growth and maintenance of human pathogens, such as Salmonella enterica, on the surface of food products, particularly fresh fruits and vegetables. Particular strains of Enterococcus avium and Lactococcus lactis are described and detailed for their atypical pathogen-inhibiting phenotypes.

The present invention relates to the use of phyllosphere-associated lactic acid bacteria that demonstrate inhibitory effects on the growth and maintenance of human pathogens, such as Salmonella enterica, on the surface of food products, particularly fresh fruits and vegetables. Particular strains of Enterococcus avium and Lactococcus lactis are described and detailed for their atypical pathogen-inhibiting phenotypes.

The present invention comprises the discovery and development of an effective cryoprotectant composition, without containing skim milk or any other animal-derived compounds, to achieve long-term stability of freeze-dried lactic acid bacteria (LAB), at different temperatures, whereby the retention of viability of the freeze-dried LAB after 6 months of storage, preferably after 9 months of storage, more preferably after 12 months of storage is more than 50%. The invention is in the field of producing freeze dried bacteria, in particular Lactic acid bacteria. More in particular, the invention relates to the use of a novel combination of cryoprotectants for increasing the viability of bacteria after freeze drying, improving the texture of the lyofilized cake for easy grinding and improving the long term stability of the freeze dried bacteria at different temperature conditions. The invention further relates to such freeze dried bacteria for use in food industry or in human or animal health applications. More in particular, the invention relates to the increased viability and long-term storage of recombinant bacteria capable of expressing heterologous proteins or peptides and administered to humans or animals for therapeutic or vaccination purposes.

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.

New Lactococcus lactis strains, NRRL B-50571 and NRRL B-50572, and a bacterial preparation containing the same, have the ability to produce bioactive peptides that reduce blood pressure, lower LDL-cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and present antioxidant properties for better cardiovascular health. These biologically active peptides may be produced within the food for the production of a food product, such as a functional food, or they may be produced from protein sources and subsequently added to a food as part of the formulation or as part of a food supplement or a pharmaceutical preparation.