Dairy cultures are microorganisms especially selected and developed for their functionalities in the dairy industry.
These microorganisms belong to different species: lactic acid bacteria are commonly referred to because of their use in most of the dairy applications, but other types of bacteria, such as yeasts and moulds, are also commonly used.
Supported by one of the world’s most extensive collections, Danisco’s strain and microorganism selection is achieved through the identification of each specific milk component metabolism (sugar, fat and proteins) and the characterisation of their functional properties (phage alternative, polysaccharide production, flavouring etc.).
| Microorganisms | Functionalities used in the dairy industry |
|---|---|
Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB)(main genera: Streptococcus, Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, Leuconostoc, Enterococcus, Pediococcus, Bifidobacterium) |
Acidification: lactic acid production from sugar (lactose) metabolism Texturising: polysaccharide-forming strains Flavouring: flavour compounds production (acetaldehyde, ethanol, diacetyl) and proteolytic enzymes releasing (important in flavour development) Probiotics health benefits |
Moulds(main genera: Penicillium, mould form of Geotrichum) |
Surface or internal growth Colouring Flavouring: enzymatic activities and flavour compounds production (methyl ketone) |
Yeasts(main genera: Geotrichum, Candida, Kluyveromyces, Debaryomyces, Rhodosporium) |
Surface and internal growth Surface colouring Flavouring: enzymatic activities (proteolytic, lipolytic) |
Other bacteria:Propionibacteria & surface bacteria (Corynebacteria, Micrococacceae) |
Surface or internal growth Gas production Colouring Flavouring |
Depending on the final application, Danisco markets dairy cultures under two specific trademarks:
CHOOZIT™ Cheese Cultures
YO-MIX™ Yoghurt & Fresh Dairy Cultures
How to choose the right dairy culture?
| Dairy applications | Trademark | Product range | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ripened cheese | CHOOZIT™ | CHOOZIT™ PC | White moulds (Penicillium candidum) |
| Ripened cheese | CHOOZIT™ | CHOOZIT™ P. roqueforti | Blue moulds (Penicillium roqueforti) |
| Ripened cheese | CHOOZIT™ | CHOOZIT™ Geo | Geotrichum (moulds and yeasts types) |
| Ripened cheese | CHOOZIT™ | CHOOZIT™ CUM, KL, DH, R2R | Yeasts (Candida utilis, Kluyveromyces lactis, Debaryomyces hansenii, Rhodosporidium infirmominiatum) |
| Ripened cheese | CHOOZIT™ | CHOOZIT™ FR | Corynebacteria (Brevibacterium linens) |
| Yoghurts and yoghurt type | YO-MIX™ | YO-MIX™ Real | Acidifying, texturising and flavouring cultures (blends of Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactocacillus bulgaricus only) |
| Yoghurts and yoghurt type | YO-MIX™ | YO-MIX™ Multi | Acidifying, texturising and flavouring cultures (blends containing multiple species: Streptococcus thermophilus is combined with one or more of the following: Lactocacillus bulgaricus, Lactocacillus lactis, Lactocacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium species) |
| Fresh cheese, quark, cottage cheese, sour cream, Leben, Tvarog, buttermilk | CHOOZIT™ | CHOOZIT™ lactic offer | Acidifying cultures (mesophilic cultures alone or as blend with thermophilic cultures, homo and heterofermentative) |
| Kefir, kefir drink | Kefir cultures | Acidifying, texturising and flavouring cultures (blend of kefir grains microflora, yeast and Lactococci mainly isolated from kefir grains) |