Edible coatings as carriers for protective lactic acid bacteria (LAB) can enhance hygienic quality to dairy products. Thus, the aim of this study was to improve the quality of artisanal acid-curd cheese by applying liquid acid whey protein concentrate based edible coating with entrapped indigenous antimicrobial Lactobacillus helveticus MI-LH13. The edible fresh acid-curd cheese coating was composed of 100% (w/w) liquid acid whey protein concentrate (LAWPC), apple pectin, sunflower oil, and glycerol containing 6 log₁₀ CFU/mL of strain biomass applied on cheese by dipping. The cheese samples were examined over 21 days of storage for changes of microbiological criteria (LAB, yeast and mould, coliform, enterobacteria, and lipolytic microorganism), physicochemical (pH, lactic acid, protein, fat, moisture content, and colour), rheological, and sensory properties. The coating significantly improved appearance and slowed down discolouration of cheese by preserving moisture during prolonged storage. The immobilisation of L. helveticus cells into the coating had no negative effect on their viability throughout 14 days of storage at 4 °C and 23 °C. The application of coating with immobilised cells on cheeses significantly decreased the counts of yeast up to 1 log₁₀ CFU/g during 14 days (p < 0.05) of storage and suppressed growth of mould for 21 days resulting in improved flavour of curd cheese at the end of storage. These findings indicate that LAWPC-pectin formulation provided an excellent matrix to support L. helveticus cell viability. Acting as protective antimicrobial barrier in fresh cheeses, this bioactive coating can reduce microbial contamination after processing enabling the producers to extend the shelf life of this perishable product.

The demand for healthy foods without artificial food additives is constantly increasing. Hence, natural food preservation methods using bioprotective cultures could be an alternative to chemical preservatives. Thus, the main purpose of this work was to screen the indigenous lactobacilli isolated from fermented cow milk for their safety and antifungal activity to select the safe strain with the strongest fungicidal properties for the development of bioprotective acid whey protein concentrate (AWPC) based fermentates and their coatings intended for fresh cheese quality maintenance. Therefore, 12 lactobacilli strains were isolated and identified from raw fermented cow milk as protective cultures. The safety of the stains was determined by applying antibiotic susceptibility, haemolytic and enzymatic evaluation. Only one strain, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei A11, met all safety requirements and demonstrated a broad spectrum of antifungal activity in vitro. The strain was cultivated in AWPC for 48 h and grew well (biomass yield 8 log₁₀ cfu mL⁻¹). L. paracasei A11 AWPC fermentate was used as a vehicle for protective culture in the development of pectin-AWPC-based edible coating. Both the fermentate and coating were tested for their antimicrobial properties on fresh acid-curd cheese. Coating with L. paracasei A11 strain reduced yeast and mould counts by 1.0–1.5 log₁₀ cfu mL⁻¹ (p ≤ 0.001) during cheese storage (14 days), simultaneously preserving its flavour and prolonging the shelf life for six days.

Although "zero waste" valorization concepts are gaining increasing attention, colostrum, a byproduct of milk production, remains underused due to technological challenges. Information about the fat fraction and the size of fat globules is needed to address these challenges, but such information is currently lacking. This study aimed to fill this gap in the knowledge by measuring the size distribution of bovine colostrum fat globules (CFG) and analyzing its relationships with postpartum milkings, parity, and fatty acids (FA) profile. Four sequential postpartum colostrum samples were collected from 44 cows and analyzed for the abovementioned parameters. The results indicated that CFG size increases almost twice during postpartum milkings (from ∼5 to ∼10 µm), whereas lactation has little, if any, effect on CFG size. The FA profile analyses showed that the content of most FA in the fourth postpartum milking was different from the previous milkings. The correlation analyses between CFG size and FA profile also demonstrated that the fourth milking was clearly distinguishable from the first 3 postpartum milkings. For example, the saturated FA content from the first 3 milkings had a positive correlation with smaller CFG (and a negative correlation with larger CFG), whereas the fourth milking demonstrated no correlations. Based on these CFG size and FA profile analyses, the results of this study suggest that the first 3 postpartum milkings can be considered as colostrum, whereas the fourth milking represents transition milk. Information about CFG size distribution enables modification of the FA profile of colostrum products and the ability to create better valorization technologies for colostrum-based food and feed supplements.

Biodegradable packaging, both alone and in combination with acid whey protein coatings, has been used to pack fresh Gouda cheese to improve preservation prior ripening or storage. This study involved three key components: (i) the selection of biodegradable packaging (BP), (ii) the development of a plain liquid acid whey protein concentrate, pectin-based edible coating (BP + Ch + Coating), and (iii) the incorporation of at least 6 log₁₀ CFU (colony forming units) mL⁻¹ Lacticaseibacillus paracasei (BP + Ch + Coating + Lp) and Lactobacillus helveticus (BP + Ch + Coating + Lh) strains. The created compositions were compared with cheese packed in conventional polyethylene (PE) packaging to evaluate their overall synergy effect in reducing microbiological spoilage and influencing chemical parameters in Gouda cheese during 45 days of ripening and cold storage. The evaluation included microbiological analysis (total LAB, Enterobacteriaceae spp., and fungi CFU) and quality assessment of pH, moisture content, water activity, texture, and colour (CEI system) during ripening and shelf life. Although biodegradable packaging (BP) alone did not protect the cheese effectively compared to conventional packaging (EVA/PE/EPC/PVDC), the combination of biodegradable packaging with a coating (BP + Ch + Coating) showed protective properties against Enterobacteriaceae spp. and mould, maintaining moisture, pH, and colour during ripening and storage. Incorporation of L. helveticus (BP + Ch + Coating + Lh) into the coating efficiently decreased the growth of fungi.

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum is a versatile lactic acid bacterium (LAB) with broad ecological and metabolic adaptability, contributing to both technological and probiotic functions. The prevalence and functional diversity of locally adapted L. plantarum strains in traditional sourdough fermentations remain poorly understood. This study aimed to characterize ten L. plantarum strains isolated from traditional Estonian rye sourdoughs, focusing on safety, enzymatic and carbohydrate metabolism, fermentation performance, exopolysaccharide (EPS) production, and genotype-associated functional diversity, including interaction with aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁). Strains were γ-hemolytic and susceptible to major antibiotics. Strong aminopeptidase and β-glucosidase activities were observed, whereas α-glucosidase and α-galactosidase activities varied among strains and genotypes. Strains efficiently utilized mono- and disaccharides, with genotype-specific patterns for complex carbohydrates. During sourdough fermentation, all strains acidified the dough (pH < 4.5) and produced lactic and acetic acids in optimal ratios, while fermentation kinetics differed in a genotype-dependent manner. EPS yields (131–225 mg/L) were stable across genotypes. All strains retained fermentative activity in the presence of AFB₁ and exhibited high binding capacity (~100%). These findings demonstrate the safety, metabolic versatility, and genotype-structured functional diversity of L. plantarum from traditional Estonian rye sourdoughs, supporting their application as robust, multifunctional starter cultures for sustainable food fermentations.

Sourdough bread production relies on metabolically active starters refreshed daily with flour and water. The stability of sourdough microbial strains is crucial for consistent bread quality. However, many bakeries lack information on the persistence of starter cultures in ongoing sourdough production. Consequently, there is growing interest in identifying microbial strains from regularly used sourdoughs that possess good functional properties and resist changes in the complex growth environment. This study aimed to evaluate the composition and stability of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in industrial wheat (WS) and rye (RS) sourdoughs propagated over a long period. LAB isolates (n = 66) from both sourdoughs, sampled over four seasons, were identified using phenotypic methods and genotyped via ITS-PCR and ITS-PCR/TaqI restriction analysis. Eight LAB species were detected, with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum being the most dominant and stable. Nineteen distinct LAB genotypes were observed, highlighting significant diversity. The presence of identical LAB genotypes in both sourdoughs suggests microbial transfer through the environment and bakery workers. LAB in RS were found to be more stable than those in WS. These findings underscore the importance of monitoring microbial stability and diversity in industrial sourdough production to maintain consistent bread quality.