Chr. Hansen extends DVS SSC series with new cheese starter culture

Chr. Hansen has extended its soft cheese starter culture range to help manufacturers produce soft cheese with the desired taste and texture.

With the launch of the DVS SSC series, the range now consists of four cultures.

In the conventional soft cheese markets, millennial consumers are seeking cheese that taste mild and come with a more aesthetic look. As export opportunities are increasing, especially to new markets, there is a need for flavor and texture to remain the same throughout its longer shelf life.

Soft cheeses provide wide diversity in visual appearance and taste, which are possible when starter cultures are combined with surface-ripening cultures.

Chr. Hansen commercial development manager for soft cheese Jens Skytte Soerensen said: “Consumers are becoming increasingly driven by visually appealing products. With soft cheese, there is such potential to boost and vary the aesthetics.

“With this increase in consumer interest, it’s the right time to launch a product like DVS SSC that helps cheesemakers to create soft cheeses that truly meet consumer expectations.”

In the first phase of cheese making, milk sugar is fermented into lactic acid using a starter culture and this is where DVS SSC can be applied to create flavor profiles that enable cheese to stay delicious and mild throughout storage. This is possible only when streptococcus thermophilus strains are carefully selected to support low degradation of milk proteins and milk fat.

The four cultures within the DVS SSC series are selected from 30,000 strains for consistent performance. The system consists of multiple strains in each culture and four cultures for rotation, which enables to gain the right level of dry matter, stable end-pH and strong phage robustness.

Soerensen added: “The delicious creamy texture that consumers love is achieved by unique acidification properties and the slight formation of exopolysaccharides. So, it’s a science, as well as true craftmanship, that creates the perfect soft cheese.”