Method for diacetyl flavor and aroma development in creamed cottage cheese

Claim 1

The method of providing improved diacetyl flavor and aroma in creamed Cottage cheese by adding thereto a concentrate of Streptococcus diacetylactis which is not mechanically concentrated to develop the flavor at refrigeration temperatures, said method consisting essentially of: (a) providing an aqueous growth medium containing as solids dispersed or dissolved in water, non-fat milk or milk casein digest or mixtures thereof, a yeast material containing amino acid and other essential growth factors for Streptococcus diacetylactis, a citrate, and separately added lactose all of which can be metabolized by Streptococcus diacetylactis cells, the solids being present in an amount less than about 0.25 part per part of the aqueous medium; (b) inoculating and then growing Streptococcus diacetylactis cells in the growth medium at a temperature and for a time to increase the number of cells in the medium to above 10×10 9 cells per ml of medium while adjusting the pH between 6.0 and 7.0 to produce a cell concentrate containing above said 10×10 9 cells per ml and without further concentrating the number of cells in the medium, freezing the medium to obtain a frozen cell concentrate for storage and shipment; (c) thawing the frozen cell concentrate; and (d) mixing the thawed cell concentrate in creamed Cottage cheese in an amount to provide between about 10 5 and 10 8 Streptococcus diacetylactis cells per gram of Cottage cheese whereby there is developed a desirable diacetyl flavor and aroma upon storage of the creamed cottage cheese at refrigeration temperatures.

Claim 2

The method of providing improved diacetyl flavor and aroma in creamed Cottage cheese by adding thereto a concentrate of Streptococcus diacetylactis which is not mechanically concentrated to develop the flavor at refrigeration temperatures, said method consisting essentially of: (a) providing an aqueous growth medium containing as solids dispersed or dissolved in water, non-fat milk or milk casein digest or mixtures thereof, a yeast material containing amino acid and other essential growth factors for Streptococcus diacetylactis, a citrate, and separately added lactose all of which can be metabolized by Streptococcus diacetylactis cells, the solids being present in an amount less than about 0.25 part per part of the aqueous medium; (b) inoculating and then growing Streptococcus diacetylactis cells in the growth medium at a temperature and for a time to increase the number of cells in the medium to above 10×10 9 cells per ml of medium while adjusting the pH between 6.0 and 7.0 to produce a cell concentrate containing above said 10×10 9 cells per ml and without further concentrating the number of cells in the medium, freezing the medium to obtain a frozen cell concentrate for storage and shipment; (c) thawing the frozen cell concentrate; and (d) mixing the thawed cell concentrate in creamed Cottage cheese in an amount to provide between about 10 5 and 10 8 Streptococcus diacetylactis cells per gram of Cottage cheese whereby there is developed a desirable diacetyl flavor and aroma upon storage of the creamed cottage cheese at refrigeration temperatures.