Press release -
New cultures for fresh and tasty white brined cheese
Chr. Hansen’s new DVS® SafeIT™ culture range for feta-type cheeses promises delicious taste and texture, strong phage robustness and extended shelf life.
“We know that consumers prefer a creamy, yoghurt-like flavor in their white brined cheese without compromising on the cheese texture,” explains Chr. Hansen’s Jamila Bouanda, Marketing Manager, Cheese Cultures. “The new DVS® SafeIT™ culture blends, which have been developed specifically for ultrafiltrated white brined cheese, secure a deliciously fresh and smooth flavor in the cheese as well as a firm, sliceable texture.”
The SafeIT™ range is a new member of Chr. Hansen’s renowned Direct Vat Set (DVS®) culture program. “Using DVS® cultures the unwanted characteristics of conventional ultrafiltrated white brined cheese — acid taste, gluey appearance and bitter taste — are avoided. The result is harmonious and delicious,” Jamila Bouanda says.
Attractive production benefits
Apart from the flavor and texture benefits, three properties make the SafeIT™ culture blends attractive to producers of white brined cheese.
“First, the cultures’ ability to ferment quicker reduces the process time. This allows cheese producers to increase the throughput in their cheese plants. Second, these cultures will provide extended shelf life for the cheese, keeping its exquisite taste and texture for 4-6 months. Finally, the strong bacteriophage resistance of certain mesophilic strains in the blends will minimize phage attacks and scrapping at the dairies,” says Jamila Bouanda.
Growing category
The white brined cheese category covers a variety of cheeses from feta in Greece to domiati in Egypt. 1.8 million tons of white brined cheese is produced annually, growing 5% a year. The category is expected to continue to experience strong growth as white brined cheese is increasingly a part of daily food in the Middle East and in South-East Europe.
The SafeIT™ culture range, which has been developed to appeal directly to Middle Eastern and South-East European taste buds, is presented at the industry trade show Food Ingredients Europe 2011 in Paris, France on November 29 – December 1, 2011 (stand number 2D31 in hall 2).
FIE2011
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Chr. Hansen is a global bioscience company that develops natural ingredient solutions for the food, nutritional, pharmaceutical and agricultural industries. The products include cultures, enzymes, probiotics and natural colors, and all solutions are based on strong research and development competencies coupled with significant technology investments. Revenue in the 2013/14 financial year was EUR 756 million. The company holds a leading market position in all its divisions: Cultures & Enzymes, Health & Nutrition and Natural Colors. It has more than 2,500 dedicated employees in over 30 countries and main production facilities in Denmark, France, USA and Germany. Chr. Hansen was founded in 1874 and is listed on NASDAQ OMX Copenhagen.