Cheese cultures are a collection of specific microorganisms used to ferment milk and produce cheese. These microorganisms are primarily lactic acid bacteria but can also include yeasts and molds.

The raw materials for producing cheese cultures are mainly selected strains of lactic acid bacteria like Lactococcus lactis, Lactobacillus, Streptococcus thermophilus, and many others. Some cheeses, like Roquefort or Camembert, also utilize specific molds.

Step-by-step summary of the industrial chemical synthesis process.

• Selection of specific microbial strains with desired properties for milk fermentation.
• Cultivation of the microorganisms under controlled conditions to increase their population.
• Harvesting of the microorganisms and preparation into a format suitable for use in milk, which can be liquid, frozen, or freeze-dried.
• Preservation of the cultures under conditions that maintain their vitality and fermentative activity.
• When used in cheese production, these microorganisms ferment milk sugar (lactose) producing lactic acid and other compounds that influence the cheese's texture, flavor, and aroma.

Cheese cultures are generally in a white powder or cream form when freeze-dried or concentrated. The exact form and color can vary depending on the type of microorganism and the production process.

Commercial Applications

Cheese Production. Cheese cultures are fundamental in producing a wide range of cheeses (1), from soft ones like Brie to aged ones like Parmesan.

Yogurt and Other Dairy Products. Some of the same cultures used for cheese are also employed in the production of yogurt, kefir, and other fermented dairy products.

Probiotics. Some cheese cultures, particularly bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, are also known for their health benefits and are sold as probiotic supplements.

Other Applications

Research. Cheese cultures can be used in scientific research to study fermentation, food microbiology, and the effects of microbes on the dairy industry.

References_____________________________________________________________________

(1) Paxson H. Cheese cultures: transforming American tastes and traditions. Gastronomica (Berkeley Calif). 2010;10(4):35-47. doi: 10.1525/gfc.2010.10.4.35. PMID: 21568042.

Abstract. Although the history of cheesemaking in the United States tells largely a tale of industrialization, there is a submerged yet continuous history of small-batch, hands-on, artisan cheese manufacture. This tradition, carried on in artisan cheese factories across the country, although concentrated in Wisconsin, is often overlooked by a new generation of artisan cheesemakers. Continuities in fabrication methods shared by preindustrial and post-industrial artisan creameries have been obscured by changes in the organization and significance of artisan production over the last one hundred years. Making cheese by hand has morphed from chore to occupation to vocation; from economic trade to expressive endeavor; from a craft to an art. American artisan cheesemaking tradition was invented and reinvented as a tradition of innovation. Indeed, ideological commitment to innovation as modern, progressive, American—and thus a marketable value—further obscures continuities between past and present, artisan factories, and new farmstead production. The social disconnect between the current artisan movement and American's enduring cheesemaking tradition reproduces class hierarchies even as it reflects growing equity in gendered occupational opportunities.