Trends in the Development and Use of Fermented Dairy Products, 3rd Edition

A special issue of Fermentation (ISSN 2311-5637). This special issue belongs to the section "Fermentation for Food and Beverages".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 1078

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb, Pierottijeva 6, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Interests: food safety; milk technology; food legislation; cheese production; modification of dairy products
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Fermented dairy products comprise a large group of widely consumed foods, such as fermented milks, cheese, dairy desserts, sour cream and beverages based on milk, whey or buttermilk. Due to their high nutritional value and associated health benefits, a substantial increase in the consumption of fermented dairy products has been seen over the past two decades, with current market trends suggesting a further increase in the future. Due to their special characteristics, fermented dairy products constitute an excellent medium for the incorporation of ingredients, making them true functional foods and enticing for modern consumers who prefer a healthy diet. In this context, the development of fermented dairy products, especially different types of fermented milks or cheeses, is a crucial area of expansion in the dairy industry, constituting one of the largest sectors in the global market for functional foods. The production of novel fermented dairy products involves the addition of probiotic microorganisms; unconventional starter cultures, such as kombucha, oligosaccharides and prebiotic fiber; CLA; phytosterols; bioactive peptides, etc. Recently, plant extracts and essential oils have been studied as sources of phenolic compounds and bioflavonoids, since dairy products lack such health-protecting components. To expand the bioavailability of applied functional ingredients, efficient encapsulation techniques have been developed. Regarding plant material, a large amount of research has been focused on developing the production of plant-based alternatives and analogues to fermented dairy products. Significant attention has also been paid to the study of autochthonous dairy products as potential sources of valuable new compounds, such as starters, probiotic strains and antimicrobial agents, which could find applications such as nutraceuticals in personalized diets or the large-scale production of fermented dairy products. The use of postbiotics in fermented food production, as well as the production of bioactive components with valuable functional properties and health benefits, has been an object of recent scientific interest and experimentation. It is worth noting that milk types other than cow's milk, especially goat's milk, have been extensively studied in the context of producing fermented dairy products. However, there is still insufficient evidence regarding the influence of these starters and enzymes on clotting mechanisms and the textural, rheological and sensory properties of such non-bovine dairy products, which need to be examined in detail. The applications of advanced and innovative food processing technologies, such as ultrasound, microwaves and high hydrostatic pressure, have also been investigated to improve quality and process efficiency while maintaining the safety, sensory, functional and health-promoting properties of fermented dairy products.

This Special Issue welcomes review articles and original research papers that address novel approaches, as well as modifications of existing processes, related to the production of fermented dairy foods, especially fermented milks and cheese. 

Dr. Irena Barukčić Jurina
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Fermentation is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • fermented milks
  • cheese
  • autochthonous dairy products
  • goat's cheese
  • kefir
  • yoghurt
  • koumiss/kumis
  • whey fermentation
  • kombucha
  • probiotics
  • postbiotics
  • bioactive peptides
  • encapsulation
  • plant extracts and essential oils in fermented milks and cheese
  • innovative processing methods
  • minimally processed fermented dairy products
  • personalized dairy products
  • plant-based analogues to fermented dairy products
  • rheology
  • proteolysis

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

13 pages, 1704 KiB  
Article
Physicochemical and Sensory Properties of Short-Term Fermented Cream Cheese with Added Citrus junos Peel Powder
by Yeon-Su Jeong and Sin-Young Park
Fermentation 2025, 11(4), 218; https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation11040218 - 15 Apr 2025
Viewed by 230
Abstract
In this study, we analyzed the quality characteristics of short-term fermented cream cheese with added Citrus junos peel (CP). Samples were classified as CP1, CP2, and CP3 based on the amount of CP added. The quality analysis included pH, viscosity, CIE color, electronic [...] Read more.
In this study, we analyzed the quality characteristics of short-term fermented cream cheese with added Citrus junos peel (CP). Samples were classified as CP1, CP2, and CP3 based on the amount of CP added. The quality analysis included pH, viscosity, CIE color, electronic nose, electronic tongue, and sensory evaluation. The pH of the samples significantly decreased with increasing CP levels (p < 0.05). Over time, the viscosity of the CP-added treatment groups was lower than that of the control (Con). The lightness (L* value) of CP-containing samples was significantly lower than that of the Con (p < 0.05). The redness (a* value) of the CP3 sample was significantly higher than that of the other samples (p < 0.05), while the yellowness (b* value) significantly increased with higher CP levels (p < 0.05). Electronic nose analysis indicated that increasing CP content enhanced fruity, apple, orange, sweet, and citrus flavor profiles. Electronic tongue analysis showed that as CP addition increased, saltiness increased, whereas sourness and umami taste decreased. Sensory evaluation revealed that CP1 received high scores in all attributes except “saltiness”, while CP3 received lower scores across evaluations except “saltiness”. In particular, CP1 received significantly higher evaluations in the “off-flavor”, “taste”, “acidity”, and “overall acceptability” evaluations (p < 0.05). Overall, the findings suggested that CP is suitable for use in short-term fermented cream cheese, with CP1 identified as the optimal addition level. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

24 pages, 1225 KiB  
Review
Recent Biotechnological Applications of Whey: Review and Perspectives
by Raúl J. Delgado-Macuil, Beatriz Perez-Armendariz, Gabriel Abraham Cardoso-Ugarte, Shirlley E. Martinez Tolibia and Alfredo C. Benítez-Rojas
Fermentation 2025, 11(4), 217; https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation11040217 - 15 Apr 2025
Viewed by 480
Abstract
This paper comprehensively reviews whey, a by-product of cheese production, as a raw material for various biotechnological applications. It addresses its unique composition, the environmental impact of its inadequate disposal, and the opportunities it offers to develop high-value products in line with circular [...] Read more.
This paper comprehensively reviews whey, a by-product of cheese production, as a raw material for various biotechnological applications. It addresses its unique composition, the environmental impact of its inadequate disposal, and the opportunities it offers to develop high-value products in line with circular economy and sustainability principles. Using the PRISMA methodology, a systematic search was conducted in various databases (Science Direct, Scopus, and Google Scholar) with specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. Studies from the last five years were considered, focusing on food applications, the production of bioproducts (such as lactic acid, biopolymers, bioethanol, biomass, and enzymes), and the use of whey as a culture medium for the expression of recombinant proteins. It is concluded that the use of whey in biotechnological applications mitigates the environmental impact associated with its disposal and represents an economic and sustainable alternative for the industrial production of bioproducts. The integration of pretreatment technologies, experimental designs, and improvements in producing strains brings these processes closer to competitive conditions in the industry, opening new perspectives for innovation in the fermentation sector. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop