Assessment of L-methioninase in volatile sulfur compound-rich Cheddar cheese slurries: bacterial community profiling via next-generation sequencing

In this study, sulfur-containing aroma compounds and the associated shifts in bacterial community composition following the addition of L-methioninase to cheddar cheese slurries were examined. Four distinct slurry formulations were prepared: a control, a methionine-supplemented control, and two experimental groups supplemented with either L-methioninase or Brevibacterium linens. On day 1, Lactococcus and Streptococcus species were dominant across all samples. By day 9, bacterial diversity increased markedly in all formulations. On the first day of fermentation, L-methioninase activity led to the production of 1731.0 ± 1.09 µg kg−1 dry matter of methanethiol and 1490.2 ± 1.31 µg kg−1 dry matter of dimethyl trisulfide (DMTS). The concentrations of both methanethiol and DMTS increased further on days 4 and 9 of fermentation. These findings suggest that the use of L-methioninase in cheese slurries may represent a promising alternative strategy for the production of enzyme-modified cheese with enhanced sulfur aroma profiles.