Use of Lactococci isolated from Moroccan traditional dairy product: Development of a new starter culture

Ninety (90) strains were isolated from Moroccan traditional dairy product and identified using biochemical and molecular tests. Among the 20 identified lactic acid cocci, two strains were selected for their important acidifying activity: Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis (AML8) and Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris (BML2). Both revealed remarkable acidifying activity, especially when they were mixed in cultures, even in greater values than in the traditional Lben (a Moroccan dairy product). Sensory analysis showed that the so fermented milk has been more appreciated than the Lben. These results show the potential of the two strains as possible culture starter for fermented dairy product. Keywords: Lactococci , acidifying activity, fermented milk, Lben. African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(38), pp. 5662-5669