Manufacturer plans global rollout for ‘convenient’ cheese cultures

22-Sep-2008 - Last updated on 24-Sep-2008 at 10:40 GMT

An ingredients supplier is spying a gradual global rollout for its new thermophilic cultures designed as a higher yield means of processing low maturation cheeses like pasta Filata without compromising taste or quality.

DSM says that its new Delvo-Tec TS-80 cultures can achieve a specific acidification level in a shorter period of time, while alleviating concerns over product waste and phage development.

Though the products are initially to be launched in the group’s Europe, Middle East and Africa division, a roll out for the cultures, which the company claims may also have uses in cheddar and cottage cheese production, could occur by the beginning of next year.

Process speed

Kris Ferguson, product manager for DSM’s cultures claimed that the product has been developed for the specific needs of consumers looking for more time efficient higher yield cheese production.

“Speed is of the essence when producing Pasta Filata cheese, and manufacturers need cultures that enable them to develop as much cheese in the shortest possible timeframe,” he stated.

Ferguson told DairyReporter.com that quality requirements were a major focus in developing the TS-80 range, not just in producing acid in the right amount of time for cheeses like Pasta Filata, but also in ensuring that bacterial strains are unrelated to any commercially existing phage.

Strain relation

He added that with companies searching for new strains all over the world, the danger of using phage related strain was a major concern for cheese makers.

“It is really important that the strains are not related to each other as phage can develop that kills bacteria quickly, possibly slowing the production process down,” he stated. “In testing we have not found commercially available products that are related to our new strains.”

Pack service

DSM said that it also offers manufacturers a pack-to order service for the cultures, which it claims can ensure processors are supplied with more exact doses of the cultures in relation to their operations across its production range.

The cultures are therefore available in a variety of unit sizes from single and dual packs to ten unit blocks of the product, according to the company.