Impact of Probiotic and Synbiotic Supplementation on the Physicochemical, Texture and Sensory Characteristics of Wheyless Domiati-Like Cheese

The effect of probiotic cultures of lactic acid bacteria in the absence and presence of Inulin on the quality of wheyless Domiati-like cheese made from dry dairy ingredients was assessed during 28 days of storage at 7oC. The treatments design was as follows: C, thermophilic starter of Streptococcus thermophillus and Lactobacillus delbreckuii subsp bulgaricus(standard control cheese); LR, Lactobacillusrhamnosus19070; LR+IN, Lbrhamnosuswith 2% inulin; BL, Bifidobacterium animalissubsp.lactis ATCC SD5219; and BL+IN, B. lactiswith 2% inulin. Differences in physicochemical characteristics, proteolysis indexes, rheological texture and sensory attributes were found among the assessed cheeses. Results showed that addition of both probiotic strains improved cheese quality, whereas incorporation of Inulin in synbiotic cheeses enhanced the texture and sensory attributes. Relative degrees of proteolysis were found to be significantly higher in synbiotic cheese than the control and probiotic cheeses. The sensory evaluation showed that the total perception of Domiati-like cheeses was improved by the addition of the probiotics alone or in combination with Inulin. It is suggested that wheyless Domiati-like cheese fortified with probiotics and prebiotics well orientated functional food had accepted composition and sensory properties.