Wheat bran as prebiotic cell immobilisation carrier for industrial functional Feta-type cheese making: Chemical, microbial and sensory evaluation

Abstract

Abstract Wheat bran, a common cereal processing by-product, was used as immobilisation carrier for a probiotic Lactobacillus casei strain (L. casei ATCC 393). The immobilised synbiotic biocatalyst was freeze-dried without cryoprotectants and was used as adjunct in industrial Feta cheese making (a). For comparison reasons cheeses were also made by addition of: (b) free freeze dried L. casei cells as adjunct, (c) wheat bran, and (c) no-additions (industrial Feta cheese). In all cases the commercial Feta cheese culture was used as starter. The cheeses made with the synbiotic biocatalyst showed significantly higher cell viabilities during storage (120 days, 4 °C) and higher survival rates at exposure to simulated gastric juice (pH 3.0), compared with the cheeses made with free L. casei cells. The shelf-life of the produced cheeses was estimated by enumeration of spoilage microorganisms such as Staphylococci, Enterobacteria, coliforms, yeasts and fungi. To conclude, wheat bran enhanced the viability of the probiotic cells and significantly affected the production of volatile compounds, indicating, in combination with sensory evaluations, the potential for good-quality Feta-type functional cheese production.