MFC - starter culture (bacteria)

MFC – mesophilic–thermophilic starter culture for cheese

Choosing the right culture is one of the basic steps towards cheese with the intended character. MFC from the Cheese-Tek MF series is a mesophilic–thermophilic culture for direct milk inoculation.

For fresh and soft cheese varieties, including feta and traditional feta.

A culture for fermenting feta-type cheeses

MFC combines four bacterial components. In feta-type cheeses, both rennet action and acidification matter. Curd processing, whey drainage, moulding and salting help shape product consistency and character.

The culture does not produce gas. Match the dose and fermentation process to the specific recipe, and salting and subsequent handling to the intended result. The stated salt tolerance describes culture activity and is not a recommendation for the salt content of the finished cheese.

Freeze-dried culture for direct use

The preparation is a dry, freeze-dried powder. The culture is added directly to milk, making it convenient for both small batches of cheese and larger-scale production.

The smaller pack is a screw-top vial. It allows the required dose to be dispensed and the container closed again. Maintain hygiene when measuring and protect the contents from moisture.

Available packs

• 10 g vial — for 100 litres of milk.
• 100 g sachet — for 1000 litres of milk.

Choose the variant to suit the planned volume of milk.

Composition

• Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis
• Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris
• Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus
• Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus

Culture characteristics

• Optimum growth temperature: 32–37°C
• Gas production: −
• Proteolytic activity: ++
• Fermenting activity: +++
• Salt tolerance at 50% inhibition of activity: 3% NaCl

The optimum growth temperature describes conditions for culture growth — temperatures throughout the production process must follow the recipe.

Storage and transport

After measuring a portion, close the pack tightly and protect the contents from moisture. The culture withstands higher temperatures during transport.