Developments in cheese microbiology in New Zealand—Use of starter and non-starter lactic acid bacteria and their enzymes in determining flavour

The enzymes of starter and non-starter lactic acid bacteria deliver flavour generation in fermented dairy products, especially cheese. The control of flavour development in New Zealand cheese has been underpinned by the development of the modern starter and non-starter systems used by our dairy industry. With this has come the scientific understanding of how the enzymes and fermentation processes of these dairy bacteria interact to deliver the final flavour profiles in cheese, and how this can be applied to the development of dairy-based flavour ingredients. The key developments in the use of starter and non-starter lactic acid bacteria and their enzymes in determining flavour are elaborated in the context of the New Zealand dairy industry. We describe how the past developments are related to business needs, and how successful innovation in the future requires sound integration with the industry and the use of increasingly sophisticated research techniques.