Cultivating Streptococcus Lactis For Multi-Uses.

Lactococcus lactis is a Gram-positive bacteria used extensively in the production of buttermilk and cheese.[1] L. lactis are cocci that group in pairs and short chains, and depending on growth conditions appears ovoid with typically 0.5 - 1.5 �m in length. L. lactis do not produce spores (non-sporulating) and are not motile (non-motile). Cultured in the laboratory, L. lactis colonies appear bright orange on nutrient agar. They have a homo-fermentative metabolism and have been reported to produce exclusively L(+) lactic acid.[2] However,[3] reported that D(-) lactic acid can be produced when cultured at low pH. The capability to produce lactic acid is one of the reasons why Lactococcus lactis is one of the most important micro-organisms involved in the dairy industry[4].

Src: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactococcus_lactis

Step 1 Obtaining Mesophilic Culture.

So, we are going to make a mesophilic culture, which means cultivating the Streptococcus Lactis at about 30 C or 86 F for the yanks.

Where do we obtain our raw Gram-positive bacteria you ask? Well, we go where S.L. poops and spits; Cultured Buttermilk, a dive bar where all the bacterium of the Lactis likes to hang. Make sure your cultured buttermilk from your local grocery store has live cultures and hasn't been euthanized via pasteurization. We need live specimen.

Comments

[lubinka]

Thank you very much for a great tutorial!!!!!!!!! I came upon it by chance, and I 'm very happy I did - and my kids are even happier with the pancake recipe. We have the heating consantly on these (cold) days, so it will be very easy to reach the desired "cultural" state. Next Sunday we'll be having pancakes and sending you our grateful waves of positive energy, so that you offer us more bright ideas like this one!

[SinAmos]

I'm so happy that it helped you. It it has been a while since I added anything to the community, which is a shame, considering the keys I can add to for all the locked doors. I recently came upon a wild yeast that is making perfect bread; the hawaiian pizza crust tonight delivering me from evil. haha.

[commiejay]

Isn't Streptococcus the infection you get in the back of your throat?

[Algag]

streptococcus is a genus comprised of spherical gram positive bacteria, so yes you are correct but you are missing the species name to properly identify the infectious strain- streptococcus pharyngitis which literally means throat-swelling

[Algag]

yanks, I'm offended! lol jk :) nice i'ble

[commiejay]

Isn't Streptococcus the infection you get in the back of your throat?

[erecura]

The wrong name is given to the species of bacteria used above. When making cheese, Lactococcus cremoris and Lactobacillis lactis are used. However, I do believe that the above mentioned mistake comes from an alternative name for Lactococcus from within the microbiology world. Lactococcus is not always recognized and so Streptococcus is used. In this case, the bacteria would be Streptococcus cremoris, not lactis.
(information from microbiology text book)

[cory.smith]

favorited. I might be trying out this Gouda thing...=D

[Javin007]

I have been dying to find a good, simple ranch AND pancake recipe, and I'm always having trouble keeping buttermilk on hand.  Who would've thought I'd find a solution to all three in one place?

For the buttermilk: 

1.) How long can the bacteria live in the frozen state if I were to vacuum seal the cubes, making them in large batches?
2.) How long should it take to go from ice cube to another batch of butter milk? 

For the Ranch:

3.) What brand of mayo do you recommend for the flavor?

Awesome instructable!  Going to the store tonight to look for live culture buttermilk!

[SinAmos]

So, those little ice cube buttermilk starters seem to last forever.  I've never really timed them, but if they fail to infect your milk, then just use the milk in a recipe, so you don't waste it.  Basically, that starter will turn your milk into a yogurt, which is equally awesome.  I just put a cube into two glasses of regular milk and put it in a warm spot, and voila, more buttermilk.  All you do is shake the jar of buttemilk and smell it.  You can tell that easy.  I just made a buttermilk yeast bread loaf and cut it with my deli slicer.  Last night, I finished a beef roast, and you can imagine what I'm going to do with it today.  I'm really weak on the instructables and should make more, but I'm so caught up doing stuff.  Thanks for reading it.  I recommend making your own mayo from scratch.;)   

[LagmastaC]

 Good sir, you say things in such a way that you sound a bit like Billy Mays "Mix and shake, that easy!"

[mdeblasi1]

I've made pseudo creme fraise, by adding a couple of table spoons of buttermilk to warmed heavy cream and letting it sit on the back of the stove for a few hours. I thought it tasted transcendent, especially with fruit tarts in the summer, but the sour tang was a little odd for my "American" family. Also, do you think you could post the making of the Gouda as its own Instructable. I'd like to see some images of the cheese floating & being flipped; some information on the wax, anything you've got. Marya

[SinAmos]

I'm thinking of souring some tonight actually, but I feel like cheese instructables have been covered, but I'll give it a go if you wish. I always want to have cheeses in different stages of maturation, so that I can always pick some for that special fruit and cheese mix. I'm marinating some beef jerky right now, which started all my culinary pursuits. My hops rhizomes just broke the surface, so beer brewing will come next.

[mdeblasi1]

If Gouda has truly been covered, for gods sake, don't waste your time, just help me find the link and I'll be glad to take it from there, photographs and all. Yours Marya PS I really would love to make cheeses and cured meats, but I'm scared to death of my own lacksidasical hygiene, I don't want to give myself plague, or lysteria, or trichinosis.

[SinAmos]

Mozzarella has been covered, but not gouda. Your body is a bacteria gomorrah, so don't worry about that. Haha. I'm working on getting a "clean break" as we speak. :) Search cheese in the box and see what you find.

[Gilo]

i love gouda cheese. where can i get renet?

[SinAmos]

The grocery store in the backing area. It is just a box. You should be able to find it. One thing. Adding rennet after you add the culture is key. They work together in a sense and letting the culture have free reign is not a good idea. You want the rennet enzymes to have equal footing with the meso culture for a clean break and you want a clean break.

[belsey]

Just out of curiosity, is there any advantage to making your buttermilk this way (besides just having fun) rather than buying it ready-made? Have you calculated the cost benefit? Obviously to make the gouda you need the unpasteurized kind of buttermilk, but you can buy that too (in fact, you need to, to make this recipe). Does it taste better?

[SinAmos]

All buttermilk is made using this culture, and I personally use this to make my buttermilk whenever I need it. Plus, I let my buttermilk become like yogurt, a stronger version of regular buttermilk. The main idea is that you don't have to go buy a specialty item, because you can make it at home with regular milk and your starter. As far as cost, you are saving money, because buttermilk is sold in a carton and for a higher price than regular milk, but the idea of self-sufficiency also cuts waste.

[ChrysN]

Yummm, I love gouda. This is a great guide and the recipes sound yummy.

[SinAmos]

Thanks. I've been aging some gouda for a bit now, and I really want to eat it.;)