Applied Microbiology (Switzerland) · Published 2026-07-03 · DOI 10.3390/applmicrobiol6070075
Yara Loforte, André Martinho de Almeida, Vasco Cadavez, Ursula Gonzales-Barron
In this study, previously selected lactic acid bacteria (LAB)—<i>Leuconostoc mesenteroides</i>, <i>Lacticaseibacillus paracasei</i>, and <i>Loigolactobacillus coryniformis</i>—as well as kefir ferment were evaluated as adjunct cultures in pasteurized goat’s milk cheese. Microbiological and physicochemical attributes of cheese treatments were characterized during the 60-day maturation period, whereas texture profile, proximate composition, and sensory analysis were carried out in the final product. Mesophiles and LAB remained high (>8 log<sub>10</sub> CFU/g) throughout maturation, whereas the control exhibited significantly lower counts (~7 log<sub>10</sub> CFU/g; <i>p</i> < 0.001). For <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>, the most pronounced reductions occurred in kefir > <i>L. mesenteroides</i> > LAB cocktail, with final counts of 3.67 ± 0.241, 4.26 ± 0.241, and 4.36 ± 0.241 log<sub>10</sub> CFU/g, respectively. Cheeses containing adjunct cultures exhibited higher titratable acidity (up to 0.1971 ± 0.0180 g lactic acid/kg cheese) and lower pH (5.41 ± 0.0526), indicating a quicker acidification process during ripening. Kefir > <i>L. mesenteroides</i> > LAB cocktail cheeses achieved the highest overall acceptance scores (9.15 ± 0.285, 8.44 ± 0.285, and 8.39 ± 0.285, respectively), being characterized by perceivably less holes, softer, less crumbly, and non-rubbery texture. Incorporation of kefir and selected LAB strains can be considered as effective functional adjunct cultures for artisanal goat cheese production.
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Loforte, Y., Almeida, A., Cadavez, V., et al. (2026). Effects of Multifunctional Lactic Acid Bacteria Strains and Kefir Ferment on Microbiological, Physicochemical, Nutritional and Sensory Attributes of Pasteurized Goat’s Milk Cheese. Applied Microbiology (Switzerland). https://doi.org/10.3390/applmicrobiol6070075