Effect of indigenous cheese isolates via co-culture fermentation models on metabolic and lipidomic interactions of dairy cream

Abstract

This study investigated the fermentation characteristics of native lactic acid bacteria, specifically Levilactobacillus brevis, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei, and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus, isolated from Mihalic cheese, alongside commercial culture (Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis biovar. diacetylactis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides. subsp. cremoris), in a lacto-fermented milk fat emulsion system. The alterations in fatty acid composition were assessed for their prophylactic potential and pro-lipidomic interactions. Findings revealed that the population of the isolated lactic acid bacteria ranged from 6.48 to 8.63 log<inf>10</inf> cfu/g, with the viability of the microorganisms maintained throughout the storage period. Correlation plot analysis conducted to elucidate the interaction between microorganism counts and fatty acid composition indicated a positive correlation between free fatty acids and lactic acid bacteria on the M17 agar, as well as between saturated fatty acids (ƩSFA) and lactic acid bacteria on the MRS agar, with statistical significance at p<0.05.