Technological aptitude results
Investigation of fermentation type
Our 02 strains studied (Fig 1) conformed to the LAB growth standard and to the standard defined for the ATCC reference strains:
Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 314 and
Lactobacillus brevis ATCC 14869. This test confirmed that
Lactobacillus acidophilus was homofermentative (Fig 2), as demonstrated by the absence of CO
2 production in tube A (no agar detachment).
Lactobacillus brevis, on the other hand, was heterofermentative, as evidenced by the production of CO
2 in tube C. There was agar detachment, while tube A remained identical to tube B (control). The development of a homofermentative bacterium did not cause any detachment between the Gibson-Abdelmalek culture agars and the top agar. The gas produced by heterofermentative metabolism pushes the agar plug towards the top of the tube
(Ketrouci et al., 2021 and
Sadi et al., 2017).
Results of lactic acid bacterial growth kinetics
Following the evolution of bacterial numbers and pH as a function of time, the results obtained are shown in Fig 3 and 4.
The notion of bacterial growth norm covers two aspects: bacterial cell growth (size, mass, volume) and the phenomenon of cell division (population). In addition, this growth induces a series of metabolic reactions leading to the production of cellular biomass. Growth duration was normative (visible in figures 3 and 4 in mn IBC/ ml), > to 6 h for the thermophilic strain with a peak in bacterial cell multiplication at 12 h and ≤ to 18 h for the mesophilic strain. These kinetics lead to the production of a lactic curd, visibly defined by the increase in lactic biomass in the lactic coagulum produced and the controlled syneresis of whey.
pH measurement
Fig 5 shows the evolution of the hydrogen ion pH concentration of the
Lactobacillus acidophilus and
Lactobacillus brevis lactic strains studied as a function of time (h) during growth kinetics measurements.
Kholif et al., (2011) obtained similar results with lactobacilli. Lactic acid, derived from the breakdown of lactose by lactic acid bacteria, carries positive charges (hydrogen ions) which neutralize the negative charges of colloids (caseins). At pH 4.6-4.8, known as casein’s isoelectric point, they become neutral. The acid thus dehydrates the casein micelles, bringing them closer together. The greater the demineralization (acidification of the milk by lactic bacteria or acid coagulation), the more lactic the curd.
According to our results and Fig 5, at 0 h, the initial pH of cheese milk inoculated with two cultures of
Lactobacillus acidophilus and
Lactobacillus brevis strains is close to neutral, with an average of 6.67. Isoelectric pH (around 4.6 - 4.8) with the
Lactobacillus acidophilus strain was reached after more than 12 h of cheese milk inoculation, while for
Lactobacillus brevis, isoelectric pH was reached after more than 17 h of incubation. For both strains studied, cheese milk underwent controlled post-acidification even after 24 h incubation at a pH below 4 for 02 LAB.
Indeed, lowering the pH plays an essential role, on the one hand in the lactic coagulation of the milk by destabilizing the casein micelles that lead to the formation of a homogeneous lactic gel and on the other hand, by conferring bio-protection and a distinctive taste to the milk derivative that contributes to its flavor and aroma (
Leroy and De Vuyst, 2004;
Mechai et al., 2014 and
Saidane et al., 2021).
Proteolytic power
The proteolytic systems of LAB are important in the curd ripening processes of manufactured cheeses, which give cheeses their rheological properties and organoleptic characteristics
(Kholif et al., 2011 and
Roudj et al., 2009). On the other hand, the proteolytic activity of LAB is essential for their growth in milk, as well as for the development of organic metabolites essential for the bioprotection of milk-derived products.
The result of the proteolysis test is a lysis halo around the bacterial colony, the diameter of which is measured to assess the intensity of proteolytic activity
(Salminen et al., 2004). The results showed that
Lactobacillus acidophilus was highly proteolytic compared to
Lactobacillus brevis (Fig 6), the same results obtained by
Saidane et al., (2021), who showed that in similar media, proteolytic activity is induced by both mesophilic and thermophilic lactobacilli.
According to the table, proteolytic activity was variable from one dose to the next, with the best proteolysis zone obtained at the 1% dose in
Lactobacillus acidophilus, with a high level of proteolysis reflected in a lysis diameter of 7.25 mm and at the 2% dose, the strain showed average proteolysis with a diameter of 2.1 mm. At the 3% dose, the strain was weakly proteolytic, with a lysis zone 1.3 mm in diameter. On the other hand,
Lactobacillus brevis has very low proteolytic activity, as shown in Table 1. At a dose of 1%, proteolytic activity was minimal at 0.5 mm diameter. At a dose of 2%, proteolytic activity was triggered with a lysis zone of 0.98 mm in diameter. At a dose of 3%, the culture began to show proteolytic activity with an average of 1.86 mm in diameter, but this was still minimal compared with
Lactobacillus acidophilus.
According to
Anjum et al., (2014) and
Sadi et al., (2017), a lactic strain can be confirmed as proteolytic if it develops a lysis zone characterized by a halo around the bacterial colony with a diameter of between 5 and 15 mm. If we compare these data with our results, we can say that
Lactobacillus acidophilus has a more proteolytic profile than
Lactobacillus brevis.
Coagulant power
Lactic coagulation determined after a 24-hour incubation period; milk prepared and inoculated with a mixed culture of the two lactobacilli, one mesophilic and the other thermophilic.
Total lactic coagulation was triggered at an isoelectric pH of 4.8, where the negative charges of kappa caseins are neutralized by H+ ions from lactic fermentation. The acid dehydrated the casein micelles, leading to their assembly by strong, irreversible bonds.
According to
Leroy and De Vuyst, (2004) and
Vignola and Amiot, (2002), the concentration of hydrogen ions is decisive for good lactic coagulation, at the isoelectric pH of milk (pH between 4.6 and 4.8) : caseins (insoluble milk proteins) lose their negative charge and bind together by weak bonds. They create a mesh that solidifies the milk, giving it a “thick” consistency. This is how lactic curd is obtained from lactic coagulation.
Roudj et al., (2009), acknowledges that this coagulation method depends on the dose of bacterial culture and the type of LAB used, the quality of the milk and its incubation temperature during acidification. Several hours to dozens of hours are required to obtain satisfactory curdling.
Vignola and Amiot, (2002) recommend 04 to 06 hours for thermophilic lactic ferments and 12 to 18 hours for mesophilic ferments.
Our results are also in line with IDF standards for cheese processing. Through their metabolic activities, the strains studied induced a hydrogen ion concentration with the coagulation activities sought in cheese applications, adaptable to either lactic or mixed curd type cheeses. The coagulates obtained for both strains were perceived by the naked eye as firm, non-friable, with a shiny, non-degraded gel. Non-abundant post-acidification resulted in low whey exudation with a > content of 20% for an IDF-defined whey exudation standard of 15-30%. This explains why any successful dairy derivative requires the right choice of lactic acid bacteria used, substrate control and adaptation of technological parameters to obtain typical dairy products highly appreciated by the consumer.
Statistical analysis
The technological performance of autochthonous lactic acid bacteria isolated from a J’ben terroir cheese with lactic curd showed a similarity in the growth kinetics and acidification profiles studied, demonstrating a good metabolic profile with a controlled rise in hydrogen ions giving isoelectric pHs in line with a lactic coagulation that is both mesophilic and thermophilic. This comparison was made against the data sheets for ATCC reference strains of the same LAB species,
Lactobacillus acidophilus and
Lactobacillus brevis. These certified data sheets determine the performance of lactic acid bacteria in terms of their fermentative profile (acidifying power-lactic acid production) and proteolytic activities for typical dairy processing. Proteolysis by hydrolysis of skim milk proteins varied significantly (P>0.05) according to the doses used and the bacterial culture tested. Taking into account the same research established in the context of LAB proteolytic activities, including those of
Dahou et al., (2015); Roudj et al., (2009); Salminen et al., (2004); Zhu et al., 2009) and our results obtained with proteolysis evolving with the protein content of the milk used. This proves that our native cultures are adaptable to low and high protein milks, as is the case with our local milks, which show a fluctuation in protein content that weakens as the lactation phases of the dairy herd evolve.
According to the results obtained, these LABs from the Algerian dairy terroir adapt well to the availability and qualitative typicity of local milks for the production of a variety of highly consumed fermented dairy and cheese products, which represent an Algerian heritage of great dietary, medicinal and economic importance.