''Lactobacillus helveticus'' is a lactic-acid producing, rod-shaped bacterium of the genus '' Lactobacillus''. It is most commonly used in the production of American Swiss cheese and Emmental cheese, but is also sometimes used in making other styles of cheese, such as Cheddar,

Parmesan Parmesan ( it, Parmigiano Reggiano; ) is an Italian hard, granular cheese produced from cows’ milk and aged at least 12 months. It is named after two of the areas which produce it, the provinces of Parma and Reggio Emilia (''Parmigiano'' is ...

Romano Romano may refer to: Food * Pecorino Romano, a hard, salty Italian cheese * Romano cheese, an American English and Canadian English term for a class of cheeses Places Italy Municipalities in the Metropolitan City of Rome, Latium * Arcinazzo Ro ...

, provolone, and

mozzarella Mozzarella (, ; nap, muzzarella ) is a southern Italian cheese traditionally made from Italian buffalo's milk by the pasta filata method. Fresh mozzarella is generally white but when seasoned it turns to a light yellow depending on the anim ...

. The primary function of ''L. helveticus'' culture is to prevent bitterness and produce nutty flavors in the final cheese. In Emmental cheese production, ''L. helveticus'' is used in conjunction with a ''

Propionibacterium ''Propionibacterium'' is a gram-positive, anaerobic, rod-shaped genus of bacteria named for their unique metabolism: They are able to synthesize propionic acid by using unusual transcarboxylase enzymes. Its members are primarily facultative par ...

'' culture, which is responsible for developing the holes (known as "eyes") through production of carbon dioxide gas. Ingestion of powdered milk fermented with ''L. helveticus'' was shown to decrease

blood pressure Blood pressure (BP) is the pressure of circulating blood against the walls of blood vessels. Most of this pressure results from the heart pumping blood through the circulatory system. When used without qualification, the term "blood pressure" r ...

due to the presence of manufactured tripeptides that have

ACE inhibitor Angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors) are a class of medication used primarily for the treatment of hypertension, high blood pressure and heart failure. They work by causing relaxation of blood vessels as well as a decrease i ...

activity. However, results have been contradictory in later studies. The bacterium's specific name is an adjective derived from " Helvetia", the Latin name for the region occupied by the ancient

Helvetii The Helvetii ( , Gaulish: *''Heluētī''), anglicized as Helvetians, were a Celts, Celtic tribe or tribal confederation occupying most of the Swiss plateau at the time of their Switzerland in the Roman era, contact with the Roman Republic in the ...

(and for modern Switzerland). The bacterium is also used as

probiotic Probiotics are live microorganisms promoted with claims that they provide health benefits when consumed, generally by improving or restoring the gut microbiota. Probiotics are considered generally safe to consume, but may cause bacteria-host i ...

References

External links

''Lactobacillus helveticus''Type strain of ''Lactobacillus helveticus'' at Bac''Dive'' - the Bacterial Diversity Metadatabase
{{Taxonbar, from=Q142378 Lactobacillaceae Bacteria used in dairy products Bacteria described in 1919

See also

References

External links