Probiotic Brazilian Minas soft cheese was produced by ultrafiltration. Cheese was produced from retentates obtained from ultrafiltration of milk with a volumetric concentration factor of 5:1. The pasteurized retentates were inoculated with 106, 107, and 108 cfu.mL-1 of Lactobacillus acidophilus. The viability of L. acidophilus, protein breakdown, and pH changes were monitored during cheese storage at 5 ºC for 1, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days. The chemical composition and the sensory acceptability of the cheese were also determined. The experimental design consisted of complete blocks with one variable, three levels, and three replications. The results show that different populations of L. acidophilus did not significantly change cheese composition, pH, and proteolysis (p > 0.05). The population of L. acidophilus during the 28 days of storage period was not significantly affected (p > 0.05). The sensorial analysis showed a non-significant preference among the three types of cheese. It can be said that the probiotic Brazilian Minas soft cheese produced from retentates has a great potential as a probiotic food.
probiotic; UF probiotic cheese
