IFF taps into US cheese appetites with cheddar cultures launch

25 Jan 2023 --- In the latest iteration of its Choozit series, International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) is leveraging solutions for cheddar flavors with its Choozit Vintage. The ingredient innovation targets challenges in flavor during the cheese aging process, while aiming for higher consistency in flavors and textures.

IFF uses cultures, a clean label solution that taps into fermentation.

Cheese cultures are microorganisms added to milk to ferment it. They play an essential role in shaping the final product's flavor, appearance and texture.

The product will be available in the US and Canada. US consumers have a preference for cheddar, which was used in almost half of the launches containing cheese in 2021.

Furthermore, cheddar is the top cheese ingredient in ready meals, snacks and bakery launches, appearing in 42%, 71% and 53% of launches, respectively, according to Innova Market Insights.

Sharpening cheddar compositions
Choozit Vintage is designed to help overcome the specific problems of cheddar through its cultures, offering formulators a cheese with a more stable composition from one day to the next.

“Choozit Vintage is an easy-to-use culture that helps manufacturers overcome undesirable flavor development such as bitterness during aging, delivering highly reliable pH and texture results throughout the ripening process,” says Annie Mornet, senior global product manager for cheese at IFF.

According to the business, aged cheddar cheese production can prove challenging due to common issues such as bitterness, gas and crystal formation, color and textural defects that can prevent manufacturers from maximizing process efficiency and improvement, cheese yield and whey quality. 

“This makes it difficult to ensure high product standards that meet the expectations of increasingly discerning cheddar cheese consumers,” explains IFF.

“It provides robustness against phages for optimal lactic acid bacteria action to meet every cheesemaking need.”

Streamlining sustainability claims
IFF flags that Choozit can help formulators achieve their sustainability targets.

The product helps manufacturers reduce energy use, as it provides a shorter aging time of cheese with less storage at cool temperatures. It also avoids waste in production as trim waste is reduced. 

Moreover, IFF explains that its phage – with seven unique rotations – and culture has more biodiversity, resulting in less waste during cheddar production.

Developing novel cultures
As biomanufacturing grows this year as a promising proposal for companies looking to create a sustainable and resilient food system, IFF has been opting for innovative fermentation solutions for cheese for years.  

IFF previously launched Choozit BC Cultures in the European market in 2019 and then extended to the North American region in 2020 with this new phage alternative. 

Choozit BC Cultures’ cultures are selected from Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus helveticus and Lactococcus lactis strains.  

Phage robustness is built into the Choozit BC Cultures series due to the selection of biodiverse strains.

Moreover, IFF tapped into Brazilian pizza in 2021 with a clean label solution to control cheese browning and, therefore, the pizza’s visual appeal.

Edited by Marc Cervera