Development of functional Cheddar cheese with native sensory properties and rich in bioactive molecules using various lactobacilli adjunct cultures

Recently, growing demand for functional cheese has attained publicity among consumers, which play a crucial role in decreasing various chronic diseases risks. Thus, this study aimed to evolve functional Cheddar cheese with high biopeptides via the incorporation of adjunct cultures. Cheddar cheese batches were manufactured with MO-30 (Lc. lactis subsp. lactis and Lc. lactis subsp. cremoris) as a single classical Cheddar cheese culture or mixed with adjunct cultures of probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus La-5, Lactobacillus helveticus Lh-B02, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus Fresh Q4, or co-cultures of them, and cheese batches were ripened for 120 days at 12 °C. Physico-chemical, organoleptic, microbiological, proteolysis, bioactivity and γ-aminobutyric acid properties of Cheddar cheese were examined. The viable counts of lactococci or lactobacilli decreased from 9 log cfu/g on the first day of cheese ripening to > 6.097 and > 8.5 log cfu/g, respectively after 120 days of ripening. Addition of Lh-B02 culture improved the aroma intensity and decreased the bitterness taste of cheese. Cheddar cheese manufactured by Lh-B02 recorded the highest proteolytic, ACE-I, and antioxidant activity as well as the ability to inhibit the growth of Staph. aureus, B. subtilis, and Proteus vulgaris. Cheddar cheese made by co-cultures displayed the peak value of GABA (1911.23 mg/kg) compared to control cheese (82.98 mg/kg). The incorporation of probiotic La-5 and Fresh Q4 in cheese increased the toxicity against Caco2 colon cancer cells line with IC50 values of 274.53, and 292.42 µg/mL, respectively. Our findings revealed that using commercial starter cultures containing Lactobacillus strains as adjunct cultures can develop functional Cheddar cheese that is rich in bioactive peptides, which promote diverse health benefits.