Process for producing a dried, reconstitutable, bacteriophage-resistant starter medium for cheese- producing microorganisms, a premixture for producing such a starter medium, and a starter medium which is produced in the process

摘要

Inexpensive, readily dispersible, phage-resistant cheese starter media comprise milk-derived nutrients (for example non-fat milk and whey) together with a smaller proportion of lecithin, which is preferably free or unbound. The media can advantageously comprise sodium tetraphosphate, which contributes to dispersing whey solids. The media according to the invention can be used at substantially lower levels as compared with non-fat dry milk solids (for example 7% vs. 12%), and in the main equivalent results are nevertheless achieved with regard to the growth and final properties of the culture. A process for producing the media involves the liquid premixing of phosphates and lecithin, followed by their addition to milk-derived nutrients and conversion of the phosphates for binding free calcium ion. The final step involves drying the mixture, resulting in a reconstitutable powder which is in the main homogeneous. In other cases, the phosphate-lecithin premixture can be dried for later addition to milk-derived nutrients for producing a finished starter medium.