Press release -
Tailor-made culture delivers unique characteristics of classic Greek Feta
With the launch of Chr. Hansen’s DVS®WhiteClassic culture, producers of both classic Feta and non-PDO Feta can access the classic flavor and texture that consumers are looking for.
Classic Greek Feta, a White Cheese in brine, has set the quality standard for the White Cheese category globally. Since 2002, when Greek Feta became a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), the consumer recognition of the product has been strengthened, and the growth of the White Cheese category as a whole is now projected at 19.3%[1] growth from 2013 to 2019. Producing a Feta or White Cheese similar to Feta (Non-PDO Feta) is therefore of high value to cheese makers around the world.
Through thorough strain selection and production validation, Chr. Hansen is now proud to launch the Direct Vat Set® solution, DVS® WhiteClassic culture, designed to match Greek Feta’s balanced round flavors and creamy texture, while ensuring consistency and control.
Tailor-made solution for Greek Feta
“We know that producers of classic Feta have been looking for a DVS® culture for quite some time. In 2011, we therefore set out to find new bacterial strains that could deliver the classical characteristics when produced with either sheep milk or cow milk, while complying with technical requirements”, explains Jeorgos Trihaas, Principal Scientist at Chr. Hansen. “The new DVS® WhiteClassic culture range is able to control the acidification speed at and the low post-acidification maintains the moisture and flavor characteristics throughout shelf life, thus ensuring production and product consistency.”
DVS® WhiteClassic is the name of a culture blend of the carefully selected thermophilic strains: Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. Bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. The specific strains represent a strong phage resistance as they are new in Feta and White Cheese production.
Strong growth in the White Cheese category
Katrine Thordal-Christensen, Global Marketing Manager, Chr. Hansen, says: “The White Cheese segment is receiving increasing attention globally, with projected strong growth in the coming years. Since Feta became a PDO in Greece, consumers have been looking to purchase similar products that live up to the same standards. DVS® WhiteClassic culture delivers the desired balanced round flavors and creamy texture in both Feta and Non-PDO Feta, and presents itself with a silky surface which brings a competitive visual edge to the market.”
DVS® WhiteClassic culture has been tested by Greek Feta producers and the solution is rendering consistent and satisfactory results.
[1]Proteus: The Global Feta and White Cheese Market 2014
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Chr. Hansen is a leading, global bioscience company that develops natural ingredient solutions for the food, nutritional, pharmaceutical and agricultural industries. We develop and produce cultures, enzymes, probiotics and natural colors for a rich variety of foods, confectionery, beverages, dietary supplements and even animal feed and plant protection. Our product innovation is based on more than 30,000 microbial strains – we like to refer to them as ‘good bacteria’. Our solutions enable food manufacturers to produce more with less – while also reducing the use of chemicals and other synthetic additives – which make our products highly relevant in today’s world. We have been delivering value to our partners – and, ultimately, end consumers worldwide – for over 140 years. We are proud that more than one billion people consume products containing our natural ingredients every day. Revenue in the 2016/17 financial year was EUR 1,063 million. Chr. Hansen was founded in 1874 and is listed on Nasdaq Copenhagen.
