Abstract: Low-moisture mozzarrella (pizza cheese) is prepared using a standard starter culture plus an additional culture selected from Pediococcus cerevisiae, Lactobacillus plantarum, Streptococcus faecalis, Streptococcus durans, and Lactobacillus casei, or mixtures thereof. Although the cheese is made by the usual processing steps, the cheese product has a reduced lactose sugar (and/or its monosaccharide derivatives) content due to the added culture, which metabolizes residual lactose during a cold temperature holding at the end of the process. The resulting cheese has improved properties for the manufacture of pizza, being substantially nonburning and having improving melt, flavor, and color characteristics.

Abstract: Bulk starters having optimized ratios of coccus (Streptococcus thermophilus) to rod (lactobacilli) bacteria are prepared in a whey-based culture medium characterized by defined proportions of acid-whey solids to sweet-whey solids, the sweet-whey preferably being partially delactosed whey. The medium and method are particularly adapted for use in manufacturing pasta filata cheeses.