Abstract
To investigate the effect of yeasts on Kazak cheese quality and flavor, three isolated yeasts (Kluyveromyces marxianus A2, Pichia kudriavzevii A11, and Pichia fermentans A19) were used to ferment cheeses and designated as StC, LhC, and WcC, respectively. The cheese fermented with a commercial lactic acid starter without adding yeast was used as control named LrC. The results showed that the texture of cheese added with yeasts were more brittle. K. marxianus A2 contributed to the formation of free amino acids and organic acids, especially glutamate and lactic acid. Moreover, K. marxianus A2 provides cheese with onion, oily, and floral aromas. Furthermore, P. kudriavzevii A11 promotes a strong brandy, herbaceous, and onion flavor. Although no significant aroma change was observed in PfC, it promoted the production of acetic acid, isoamyl acetate, and phenethyl acetate. These results indicate that yeasts are important auxiliary starters for cheese production.
Highlights
Xinjiang is a multiethnic region in China
A total of 86 yeast strains were screened from the Kazak cheeses produced from different regions in Xinjiang, which could be classified as K. lactis (9 strains), K. marxianus (28 strains), P. kudriavzevii (21 strains), T. delbrueckii (3 strains), Candida parapsilosis (2 strains), P. fermentans (15 strains), Lodderomyces elongisporus (5 strains), and Clavispora lusitaniae (3 strains)
Based on the dominant flora and enzymatic activities, K. marxianus A2, P. kudriavzevii A11, and P. fermentans A19 were selected as representative strains to manufacture cheeses, referred to hereafter as KmC, PkC, and PfC, respectively
Summary
Xinjiang is a multiethnic region in China. The Kazakhs, one of the primary minority nationalities in Xinjiang of China, produce Kazak cheeses with a unique craftsmanship (Zheng et al, 2018b). Kazak cheese is prepared from raw cow’s milk without adding an exogenous lactic acid bacteria (LAB) starter during the traditional production process, which can be identified with several stages: boiling, milk fermentation in goatskin bags, dehydration, shaping, and after-ripening (Zheng et al, 2018b, 2020). Some microorganisms with probiotic characteristics are preserved in ripened Kazak cheese (Zheng et al, 2018a). In the Kazakh diet, cheeses act as an excellent carrier for viable probiotic microorganisms and provide high levels of vitamins, calcium, oligosaccharides, and iron, compared with yogurt, milk powder, and condensed milk
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