Growth of Lactic Acid Bacteria In Probiotic Purple Cheese From Carabao’s Milk

Abstract

“Kesong puti,” a local variety of soft cheese, is known in some parts of the Philippines but it is less acceptable in the Visayan region. The incorporation of sweetened purple yam is seen to improve the cheese’s flavor and overall appeal. The addition of probiotic starter curter was intended to produce a probiotic flavored cheese with viable number of live microorganisms. This study was conducted to evaluate the growth of live lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on the flavored cheese. It also determined the formulation and processing condition that produced sufficient level of live microorganisms on the probiotic product to deliver its intended effects. Results of the study revealed the microbial count to be generally high, exceeding 106 cfu/g, in the treatments incubated at 44°C for 15 hours and treatments with low concentrations of salt. The incubation period showed a direct relationship with the microbial count. Growth of LAB increased with the corresponding increase of the incubation period. Salt, however, offered an inverse relationship with the microbial count. At constant incubation time, treatment with 1.0% salt concentration produced higher bacterial growth than treatments with 2.5% and 4.0% salt.