A low membrane lipid phase transition temperature is associated with a high cryotolerance of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subspecies bulgaricus CFL1.

The mechanisms of cellular damage that lactic acid bacteria incur during freeze-thaw processes have not been elucidated to date. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to investigate in situ the lipid phase transition behavior of the membrane of Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus CFL1 cells during the freeze-thaw process. Our objective was to relate the lipid membrane behavior to membrane integrity losses during freezing and to cell-freezing resistance. Cells were produced by using 2 different culture media: de Man, Rogosa, and Sharpe (MRS) broth (complex medium) or mild whey-based medium (minimal medium commonly used in the dairy industry), to obtain different membrane lipid compositions corresponding to different recovery rates of cell viability and functionality after freezing. The lipid membrane behavior studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was found to be different according to the cell lipid composition and cryotolerance. Freeze-resistant cells, exhibiting a higher content of unsaturated and cyclic fatty acids, presented a lower lipid phase transition temperature (Ts) during freezing (Ts=-8°C), occurring within the same temperature range as the ice nucleation, than freeze-sensitive cells (Ts=+22°C). A subzero value of lipid phase transition allowed the maintenance of the cell membrane in a relatively fluid state during freezing, thus facilitating water flux from the cell and the concomitant volume reduction following ice formation in the extracellular medium. In addition, the lipid phase transition of freeze-resistant cells occurred within a short temperature range, which could be ascribed to a reduced number of fatty acids, representing more than 80% of the total. This short lipid phase transition could be associated with a limited phenomenon of lateral phase separation and membrane permeabilization. This work highlights that membrane phase transitions occurring during freeze-thawing play a fundamental role in the cryotolerance of Lb. delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus CFL1 cells.

Camembert-type cheese ripening dynamics are changed by the properties of wrapping films.

Four gas-permeable wrapping films exhibiting different degrees of water permeability (ranging from 1.6 to 500 g/m(2) per d) were tested to study their effect on soft-mold (Camembert-type) cheese-ripening dynamics compared with unwrapped cheeses. Twenty-three-day trials were performed in 2 laboratory-size (18L) respiratory-ripening cells under controlled temperature (6 ± 0.5°C), relative humidity (75 ± 2%), and carbon dioxide content (0.5 to 1%). The films allowed for a high degree of respiratory activity; no limitation in gas permeability was observed. The wide range of water permeability of the films led to considerable differences in cheese water loss (from 0.5 to 12% on d 23, compared with 15% for unwrapped cheeses), which appeared to be a key factor in controlling cheese-ripening progress. A new relationship between 2 important cheese-ripening descriptors (increase of the cheese core pH and increase of the cheese's creamy underrind thickness) was shown in relation to the water permeability of the wrapping film. High water losses (more than 10 to 12% on d 23) also were observed for unwrapped cheeses, leading to Camembert cheeses that were too dry and poorly ripened. On the other hand, low water losses (from 0.5 to 1% on d 23) led to over-ripening in the cheese underrind, which became runny as a result. Finally, water losses from around 3 to 6% on d 23 led to good ripening dynamics and the best cheese quality. This level of water loss appeared to be ideal in terms of cheese-wrapping film design.