Reading Uni Finds Cheese Bacteria May Aid Health

Scientists at the University of Reading have mapped out the bacteria responsible for giving three British cheeses their distinct flavour, which may also be beneficial to human health. The study, published in ACS Food Science & Technology, examined three cheese varieties produced by Nettlebed Creamery in Oxfordshire.

The cheeses, including a soft white-rind cheese, a washed-rind semi-soft cheese, and a semi-hard cheese aged in hay, were found to contain bacteria with recognised probiotic potential, which can add to populations of beneficial bacteria in the gut. Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactococcus lactis were present in all three cheeses, while the washed-rind cheese and hay-aged cheese also contained Propionibacterium freudenreichii, which produces propionic acid, a compound associated with anti-inflammatory properties, reduction of cholesterol synthesis, and appetite regulation.

Lead author Sabrina Longley, a PhD researcher in the Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, said:

Good cheese is delicious, and the artisan varieties we studied are full of microbial life that could have benefits to your gut health. The ageing process creates more complex aromas and textures through the work of an army of helpful bacteria.

The researchers found that lactose, the sugar found in cow’s milk that some people struggle to digest, was almost entirely absent from all three cheeses by the time they reached maturity, having been broken down by lactic acid bacteria during the fermentation process.

A human intervention trial is currently underway exploring the potential of the hay-aged cheese to modulate the gut microbiome in a way that could reduce cholesterol. The study’s findings suggest that eating artisan cheeses could have benefits for human health, particularly for those who eat the rind, which may contain prebiotic properties.

Source: University of Reading