Rapid Screening Test to Predict the Tendency of Lactic Starter Cultures to Produce Pink Discoloration in Italian Cheese

Abstract A test was developed for rapid screening of lactic starter cultures to predict their tendency to produce pink discoloration in Italian varieties of cheese. The test involved growth of the culture in an autoelaved milk–calcium carbonate or milk-phosphate medium. After incubation at 37C for five to ten days, cultures which were always associated with pink discoloration in cheese developed a dark brown color in the whey of the milk–calcium carbonate medium or a pink band of discoloration in the milk-phosphate medium. No discoloration was observed in the media with cultures that did not produce the pink color defect in cheese.