Importance of halophilic and halotolerant lactic acid bacteria in Cheeses

Water plays a significant role in cheese texture and in bacterial metabolism and consequently is very important for the events that occur during cheese ripening. The influence of water content and water activity (a_w) on cheese quality is very complex, due to changes in chemical composition during the continuous ripening of the product. Salt, along with pH, water activity, and redox potential, helps to minimize spoilage and prevents the growth of pathogens and spoilage organisms in cheese. This dairy product contains different low molecular weight compounds which are partly produced during ripening or, as in the case of salt, are added during manufacturing. These low molecular soluble compounds are mainly responsible for the water activity in cheeses.