Abstract: An improved method for the uniform coloration of cheese comprises binding or associating a food grade water-soluble annatto colorant with a renaturable casein carrier which is then dispersed within the milk source that is processed into the final cheese product. The method comprises the improved partitioning of color between curd and whey resulting in whey with less or substantially no color contamination.

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.