Abstract
The present study aimed at selecting non-starter lactic acid bacteria strains, with desirable technological and enzymatic activities, suitable as adjunct culture for the Provola dei Nebrodi cheese production. One hundred and twenty-one lactic acid bacteria, isolated from traditional Provola dei Nebrodi cheese samples, were genetically identified by Rep-PCR genomic fingerprinting, using the (GTG)5-primer, and by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Twenty-seven strains, included in the qualified presumption of safety (QPS) list, were tested for technological and proteinase/peptidase activities. Results showed that technological features and flavour formation abilities were strain-dependent. Among the selected strains, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei PN 76 and Limosilactobacillus fermentum PN 101 were used as adjunct culture in pilot-scale cheese-making trials. Data revealed that adjunct cultures positively affected the flavour development of cheese, starting from 30 days of ripening, contributing to the formation of key flavour compounds. The volatile organic compound profiles of experimental cheeses was significantly different from those generated in the controls, suggesting that the selected adjunct strains were able to accelerate the flavour development, contributing to a unique profile of Provola dei Nebrodi cheese.
Highlights
The Provola dei Nebrodi (PN) cheese is a historical Sicilian cheese, which has been recognized as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) cheese
The isolates were ascribed to Limosilactobacillus fermentum
It is already well established that selected non-starter LAB (NSLAB) are mainly used as adjunct culture in cheese production for their ability to contribute to flavour development, affecting the sensorial characteristics of the final product [8,28,29,30]
Summary
It is a full-fat raw milk semi-hard pasta filata cheese, produced in the Nebrodi Mountains area under traditional practices, using cow milk or a mix of cow, ewe and goat milk. The PN cheese is generally consumed as a fresh (less than 30 days old), semi-hard (30–120 days old), or hard (more than 120 days old) cheese-type and has a typical pear-like shape with a smooth, shiny, thin, yellow-gold surface and compact straw-coloured core. It is widely recognized that artisanal cheeses, produced under traditional practices using raw milk and without starter additions, boast unique and more intense sensorial characteristics than pasteurized milk cheeses. Their distinctive taste and flavour, greatly appreciated by consumers around the world, is mainly due, along with the environmental
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