The market for dairy cultures is highly dynamic and constantly evolving, with companies leveraging innovations in this space to produce cost-effective, value-added, flavorsome and nutritious products. A surge in demands for lactose-free, plant-based and probiotic-enriched foods and beverages further proliferates related NPD. Scientific advancements in starter culture technology are enabling manufacturers to prolong the shelf life of ambient products, for ease of storage and on-the-go consumption.

In European and North American markets, the growth in yogurt and fresh fermented dairy production has been modest and even slightly declining in some countries, Didier Carcano, Strategic Marketing Leader of Cultures in DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences tells FoodIngredientsFirst. “Still, it’s in these markets that a lot of the new global trends have been initiated,” he highlights. “Examples are: Greek yogurt, all natural, low sugar and ‘ethnic products’ like kefir and skyr. In addition to that, innovations are able to save formulation or production costs have been in focus. The cheese volumes, however, have been showing healthy growth, driven by the increasing demand for pizza cheese, resulting in stronger demand for starter and ripening cultures.”

In China, India and the rest of Asia, as well as the Middle East, Carcano remarks that dairy culture markets are experiencing a boom in growth and innovation. “In fresh dairy, it’s a mix of adopting global trends, developing completely new ones and enhancing traditional products, at the same time as focusing on production efficiency and capacity optimization. All areas wher the cultures play a key role,” he notes.

Global consumers are increasingly looking for more natural, authentic and healthier food and beverage products, without compromising on premium quality. Moreover, they are also more curious to discover new taste and they buy products from different origins. “We recently launched a broad range of ‘ethnic cultures’ specially designed to deliver the desired taste for products like skyr in Europe, kefir in the US, ayran in Turkey, dahi in India, brown yogurt in China and fermented dairy drinks in South America,” Carcano elaborates.

Clean label cultures and sweetness-enhancing bacteria
As many chemical preservatives do not meet the demands of today’s consumers, the industry looks towards dairy cultures as a natural preservation solution. However, taste and texture remain key, meaning that “better-for-you” formats must still offer rich and indulgent taste profiles. As a pioneer in bio-preservation and antioxidant solutions, Netherlands-headquartered DSM hopes to capture this opportunity by expanding its portfolio of protective enzymes and cultures, as well preservative solutions like Nisin and Natamycin – products of bacterial fermentation – to combat yeasts and molds in beverages and other applications.

Dairy manufacturers also are facing the need to meet the ubiquitous market trend of sugar-reduced foods and beverages, without compromising on product taste. Denmark-based Chr. Hansen recently launched Sweety Y-1, a patented culture that naturally elevates the sweetness of fermented dairy products while reducing added sugar. The breakthrough innovation is marketed as a natural and clean label solution that allows dairy manufacturers to produce yogurt that stays sweet throughout shelf life. Dairy manufacturers often add sugar to their products to compensate for the sourness of post-acidification, achieving the ideal balance of sweet and sour. With Sweety Y-1, post-acidification is lowered, reducing the need for added sugar.

Leveraging its commercial success in texturizing yogurt cultures, Danisco (DuPont) has developed a new generation of starter cultures, the YO-MIX T series for “simply indulgent and cost-effective” yogurt. Cultures in this range naturally produce “high texture” that help formulators develop a premium product with no (or less) E numbers and to save costs by reducing the amount of milk powder in their recipes. Addressing the demand for natural and healthy dairy products, the YO-MIX M cultures series delivers a very mild yogurt flavor, while also reducing the need for added sugar.

Distinction is key for cheesy cultures
One area of the dairy cultures industry currently enjoying growth is “locally-produced,” artisanal cheeses. Responding to the demand for refined produce, DSM cheese experts developed Delvo Cheese CT-500 Castellano, marketed as the first custom-crafted culture on the market to create the consistency and taste for which Castellano cheese is renowned.

This culture was developed to deliver authentic Castellano-type hallmarks, which include firm and compact consistency and texture with the buttery taste profile typical of Manchego cheese. Delvo Cheese CT-500 Castellano also offers distinctive accents, including fruity, nutty, sweet and tangy flavor notes that are “grassy and pleasant,” Nicolas Touillon, Business Director of Dairy at DSM Food Specialties, tells FoodIngredientsFirst.

Being a “phage robust” culture (a set of cultures is used in which each strain varies in phage sensitivity), Delvo Cheese CT-500 Castellano also allows producers to ensure food safety and is available in three different phage rotations for optimal phage management. This is particularly important, as phages (viruses that infect and replicate within bacteria) can cause fermentation failure and disrupt the production process.

Within the fermented milk category, DSM recently introduced the Delvo Fresh YS-140 culture, which provides dairy manufacturers with the flexibility to create indulgent, creamy yogurts and desserts with a mild taste. It is a high-performance culture, which facilitates a fast fermentation process and limited post-acidification at 5°C, meaning that its products maintain a mild taste during its entire shelf life. The culture is suitable for all types of stirred yogurts, including flavored or plain products. Delvo Fresh YS-140 can support dairy manufacturers with meeting the rising consumer demand for premium yogurts with functional benefits, while delivering the mild and creamy taste consumers associate with indulgent foods, Touillon notes.One area of the dairy cultures industry currently enjoying growth is “locally-produced,” artisanal cheeses. 

A specialist in the area of flavors, textures and the bio-preservation of dairy, Netherlands-based CSK Food has just launched a new portfolio of yogurt cultures claimed to add “more character” to the taste of yogurt products. “With the increasing competition for supermarket shelf space, products that are more appealing and distinctive to consumers are clearly needed,” says Christian Hemmer, Marketing Manager of CSK Food. “For the cheese segment, we have introduced a new flavor culture with a complete new Roasted Flavor. Next to this we recently also introduced a new culture that fits right into the trend of the growing consumer preference towards more savory flavors.”

Chr. Hansen recently launched a new culture for cheddar, which enables a “more authentic taste” in mature cheddar. “Our EASY-SET RST-1000 range and DVS CR cultures are other examples of innovations aimed the farmhouse, savory flavor of cheddar segment,” says Thomas Skaaning, Senior Vice President of Dairy at Chr. Hansen “Another example is our new enzymes SPICEIT M Plus – a new microbial lipase just launched in the US and which will be available in Europe in October 2019. This is an enzyme that gives a more authentic flavor in provolone and feta cheeses.”

In cheese, especially pasta filata – better known as “pizza cheese” or mozzarella – is experiencing “magnificent growth,” followed by cheddar cheese, notes Didier Carcano of DuPont. “This is very much driven by penetration of global pizza and fast food chains into these markets. Africa is showing signs of serious development, and we expect that continent to be a key future growth engine. In South America several of the markets have experienced a difficult economic environment the past few years. Nevertheless, there has been a steady development of the culture market and a lot of growth potential remains.”

The major hurdle for makers of factory made pizza cheese is the need for consistency and productivity. In the US, DuPont recently launched its range of CHOOZIT SWIFT 600 cultures, “for fast-making pizza cheese, day after day.” The company also debuted its CHOOZIT AMERI-FLEX cultures, for “American-style” cheese, created to improve processing consistency, increasing yield in high moisture cheese and enabling formulators to produce different types of American cheese using the same equipment.

The second part of this FoodIngredientsFirst report focuses on a surge in demands for sustainable, lactose-free, plant-based and probiotic-enriched food and beverages, which is driving related NPD in the space of dairy cultures.

By Benjamin Ferrer