Effect of Starter Addition on the Physicochemical, Microbiological and Sensory Characteristics of Pasteurized Milk White Cheese (Gibna bayda)

Aims: This study was conducted to determine the effect of starter culture addition on the physicochemical, microbiological and sensory characteristics of white cheese (Gibna Bayda) during the storage period (5°C/ 45 days). Methodology: Two treatments were prepared: Treatment 1 (T1): cheese manufactured with pasteurized milk with Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus (1:1) at the level of 2% (w/v); Treatment 2 (T2): the control; cheese manufactured with pasteurized milk without starter cultures. After cheese manufacture, physicochemical, microbiological and sensory characteristics were determined at 1, 15, 30 and 45-day intervals. Results: Results showed that the starter culture addition did not significantly (P>.05) affect all physiochemical characteristics of cheese, except for the ash content which was high in cheese manufactured with the addition of starter culture. The addition of the starter influenced the microbiological quality of the cheese, with total viable bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus and yeasts and moulds counts being significantly (P<.05) low. Furthermore, the cheese made with an added starter culture showed high scores of colour, taste and flavour. The storage period significantly affected all characteristics of the cheese, except for the fat content of the control, which remained unchanged during all storage periods. Conclusion: The results of this study show that starter culture (Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus) (1:1) is likely to be a suitable culture for Sudanese white cheese.