Lactobacillus helveticus LH-B02 favours the release of bioactive peptide during Prato cheese ripening

Adjunct cultures are traditionally used in cheesemaking with the aim of improving the flavour development of ripened cheeses. Additionally, different adjunct cultures are recognised for the ability to produce enzymes with specificity to hydrolyse caseins, leading to the release of bioactive peptides. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the addition of the adjunct culture Lactobacillus helveticus LH-B02 on the proteolysis and peptide profile of Prato cheese during ripening. The addition of the adjunct culture affected the Prato cheese peptide profile and favoured the release of peptides from β-casein and, in particular, the angiotensin-converting enzyme-inhibitory peptide β-CN (f194-209) (m/z 1718), which was the most important variable for samples discrimination after 60 d of ripening.