“Microbiology of cheese: The good, the bad, and the smelly,” will be the topic of the next UNMC Science Cafe in Omaha on Tuesday, Aug. 9, from 7 to 8 p.m., at the Slowdown, 729 N. 14th St. Speaker is Robert Hutkins, Khem Shahani Professor of Food Microbiology at UNL.
The event is free and open to the public.
Hutkins, whose research is focused on how diet affects bacteria that live in the intestinal tract, will talk about the principles of cheese-making and how scientists are working to understand and improve the flavor, quality and safety of cheese. He also will bring samples of his favorite cheeses to examine and taste.
Harmless microorganisms in cheese make it taste good, Hutkins said, by releasing enzymes that break down proteins, amino acids, carbohydrates and fats. Some of these changes occur rather quickly, but many take time. Thus, during aging, cheese flavor and texture develop and improve -- just like aging wine. What type of cheese you get -- up to 1,000 types -- depends on appropriate manipulation of bacteria and other microorganisms, temperature, length of aging, the type of milk, and how salt is applied, he said.
Hutkins recently published a paper on the genome of the bacterium used to manufacture mozzarella, Swiss cheese and yogurt. Employing the same technology used to sequence the human genome, the paper provides insight into how traits responsible for flavor, texture, and fermentative performance are expressed in the bacterium.
Before joining the UNL faculty in 1987, Hutkins was a research scientist at Sanofi Bio Ingredients in Waukesha, Wis. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Missouri, his doctoral degree from the University of Minnesota, and he was a post-doctoral fellow at Boston University School of Medicine. He serves on the scientific board of the International Probiotics Association.
He was a post-doctoral fellow at Boston University School of Medicine and was an American Society for Microbiology Waksman Lecturer. He serves on the scientific board of the International Probiotics Association.
Science Cafes are free educational events sponsored by UNMC and other groups to increase the population’s science literacy. This event is hosted by UNMC, Bio Nebraska and the Nebraska Coalition for Lifesaving Cures.