Designing starter cultures to enhance flavour development in Gouda cheese.

Samenvatting (Engelstalig)

Gouda cheese has been around since the 16th century, but production conditions have changed dramatically since then. Nowadays, it is produced on an industrial scale according to a standardised recipe and under strict hygiene conditions to prevent the growth of spoilage bacteria that produce off-flavours and textural defects. One of today's challenges is reducing production costs. Gouda cheese has a complex and intense flavour profile that requires a relatively long and costly ripening period. The aim of this thesis was to develop a new design for a Gouda cheese starter culture that would enhance the production of volatile flavour compounds during ripening. Findings were presented on designing a starter culture to enhance the production of key flavour compounds while preserving the characteristics of Gouda cheese. This will enable manufacturers to improve the cost-efficiency of cheese production.