Probiotic cheese: Health benefits, technological and stability aspects

This review presents the technological hurdles involved in the development and stability of probiotic cheeses. Firstly, the potential of cheese as a food probiotic carrier is discussed, emphasizing its advantages, when compared to fermented milks and yogurts. Fresh cheese and ripened cheeses are also discussed, and questions concerning the viability of probiotic cultures in these foods are considered. Overall, the manufacture of probiotic cheese should have minimum changes when compared to traditional products. In addition, the physico-chemical parameters that influence the quality of these products must be measured, aiming at process optimization.