| This study sought to investigate the role of the C55 undecaprenol lipid carrier in the production of exopolysaccharide (EPS), the effect of exopolysaccharide producing (EPS+) starter cultures on Mozzarella cheese and cheese whey viscosity, and the possible protective characteristics of capsular EPS against freezing and freeze drying. Efforts to investigate the role of the lipid carrier in EPS production was impeded by the inability to demonstrate bacA (an enterococcal lipid kinase that confers bacitracin resistance by increasing intracellular levels of undecaprenol phosphate lipid carrier) expression in a model dairy lactic acid bacterium, Lactococcus lactis. However, Mozzarella cheese made with non-ropy, encapsulated exopolysaccharide-producing S. thermophilus strains can be used to achieve higher cheese moisture levels and to improve the melt properties of Mozzarella cheese without significantly increasing cheese whey viscosity. Further study of this capsular exopolysaccharide revealed that it offered the organism no significant protection from freeze and freeze drying environments. |
