Potential of LAB starter culture isolated from Chinese traditional fermented foods for yoghurt production

A total of 32 indigenous lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolates were previously obtained from 7 samples of traditional dairy products in specific ecological niches throughout the northwestern area of China. Among the 32 isolates, 9 strains of LAB were selected for their potential in fermented dairy products and identified by 16S rDNA sequence analysis. In this study, these 9 isolates were combined each other and 8 combinations were selected according to their fermentation characteristics in yoghurt production. The effects of these 8 combinations on acidification, post acidification, texture and sensory quality of yoghurt were analysed. Results indicated that Streptococcus thermophilus SP1.1 combined with Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus 3 4.5 was the best combination and better than the commercial starter culture in terms of yoghurt fermentation time and sensory quality, suggesting that the combination has potential as a commercial starter to improve the quality of yoghurt.