Classification of Starters

Tamine (1981) has proposed an overall classification of lactic starter cultures, which has been illustrated in Fig.

Classification of Dairy Starter Cultures

Characteristics of a good starter culture

The following desirable characteristics must be looked into for exploring them for full fermentation potentials while selecting a particular LAB starter culture, either single or combination with others for manufacture of fermented milk products.

i) The lactic starter culture must produce sufficient lactic acid at desirable rate to suit the plant schedule and produces high quality product.

ii) Good LAB culture must continue acid production over the appropriate range of temperatures, at which it is likely to be used during the processing of milk into production of fermented dairy products.

iii) The LAB starters should be resistant to antibiotics and bacteriophages. They should also be active in the presence in inhibitory substances as well as residual amounts of chemical, sanitizers and detergents in milk.

iv) A good starter culture should not produce bacteriocins and bacteriocin like substances or any other antibiotic type of substance inhibiting other strains in the mixed culture.

v) A good LAB starter culture should produce desirable flavour, aroma, consistency, body and texture in the fermented products.

vi) The use of starter cultures producing certain defects like ropy body, malty or any other undesirable flavour and similar other defects should be immediately discontinued.

vii) In case of mixed cultures, the individual cultures must be able to synergize maximum aroma and flavour production without inhibition of acid production.

viii) The associative action of mixed cultures must be quite stable and contributes towards the development of a good starter culture even after repeated subcultures.