This study aimed to utilize two by-products, acid whey and apple pomace, as well as an indigenous Lactococcus lactis LL16 strain with the probiotic potential to produce a sustainable cheese with functional properties. Acid whey protein cheese was made by thermocoagulation of fresh acid whey and enhancing the final product by adding apple pomace, L. lactis LL16 strain, or a mixture of both. The sensory, the physicochemical, the proteolytic, and the microbiological parameters were evaluated during 14 days of refrigerated storage. The supplementation of the cheese with apple pomace affected (p ≤ 0.05) the cheese composition (moisture, protein, fat, carbohydrate, and fiber), the texture, the color (lightness, redness, and yellowness), and the overall sensory acceptability. The addition of the presumptive probiotic L. lactis LL16 strain decreased (p ≤ 0.05) the concentration of glutamic acid, thus increasing γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) significantly in the acid whey cheese. The supplementation with apple pomace resulted in slightly (p < 0.05) higher counts of L. lactis LL16 on day seven, suggesting a positive effect of apple pomace components on strain survival. The symbiotic effect of apple pomace and LL16 was noted on proteolysis (pH 4.6-soluble nitrogen and free amino acids) in the cheese on day one, which may have positively influenced the overall sensory acceptance.

Cold smoked salmon products (belly flaps, pieces, fillet, and loin) obtained from the retail market in Lithuania were tested for the presence of L. monocytogenes. It was found that contamination of the cold smoked fish products with Listeria spp. depends on the type of the product. Contamination with listeria in salmon belly flaps was 7.5 times higher than in the loin (P<0.05), 1.8 times higher than in the pieces (P<0.05) and 30 times higher than in the fillet (P<0.05). Microbiological analysis showed that 32.5% (P<0.05) of the fish product samples were infected with L. monocytogenes, while multiplex PCR confirmed 31.25% positive samples (P<0.01). According to the study results, L. monocytogenes strains were divided into two serotypes: 4b (94.6%) and 1/2a (5.4%). High contamination of the products with Listeria spp. showed that cold smoked salmon products, sold in local market, can be a reason of human listeriosis in Lithuania.