Abstract: Described is a method to stabilize or preserve acid-producing bacteria in a buffered solution. A carrier may be added that is not a specific substrate for the bacteria in order to give texture, most preferably the carrier being polyethylene glycol or sodium alginate. Optionally, other ingredients such as anti-oxidants, mold inhibitors, and/or salts may be added. These compositions may be stored at temperatures above freezing for a time from a few days up to about 2 months or longer.

Abstract: Aging of cheese is accelerated by adding during cheesemaking a composition containing preserved, partially disrupted L. casei and/or L. lactis, and a dried lipase similar to kid or calf pre-gastric lipase. The L. casei or L. lactis has been preserved by freezing, freeze drying, spray drying or fluidized bed drying. Preferably, the L. casei is ATCC 39539 and the L. lactis is ATCC 39538. The composition may optionally contain a similarly preserved and partially disrupted L. plantarum, and/or a microbial neutral protease. The composition may be added to cheese milk before adding coagulant to coagulate the milk or to curd with salt before pressing.

Abstract: A process is provided for improving the recovery of microbial cell biomass, which includes the steps of subjecting a culture broth containing chain-forming microorganisms to shearing conditions sufficient to shorten the chain-length of microbial cells whereby the packed cell volume of the cell biomass is substantially reduced and then recovering the thus treated biomass from the broth by centrifugation.