Guest Columns

Perspective:
Cheese Technology

Elevating productivity through phage management in cheese

Julien Biolley

Julien Biolley is director of business development and marketing, food and beverage, at Milwaukee-based Novonesis Inc. Biolley has served in the dairy industry in Europe and North America for more than 15 years and is a guest columnist for this week’s Cheese Market News®.

In cheese production, consistency is crucial for maintaining high productivity. Cheese plants rely on starter cultures to drive fermentation and achieve optimal performance, quality and output. However, phage (bacteriophage) contamination — viruses that target and disrupt essential bacteria — poses a significant threat. Left unchecked, phage can disrupt production efficiency, impacting both product quality and a plant’s financial performance. That’s why robust phage management is no longer optional but an essential part of any successful cheese operation.

Novonesis’ own expert and Phage Group Leader Joy Maus states:

“Preventative action is key, and there is no single step producers can take to eliminate phage risk. Strong culture management requires thorough control over every segment of the production process to secure successful phage reduction.”

• Best practices in phage management

Phage contamination risk spans multiple areas of cheesemaking, requiring vigilance across operations, including cleaning, employee training, culture handling and continuous monitoring. Key actions cheesemakers can take include:

• Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs): Adhering to GMPs is essential. Proper flow management, equipment maintenance and hygiene practices help minimize opportunities for phage to enter and spread within the production environment.

• Risk assessments: Conducting risk assessments is vital for identifying vulnerabilities, especially in cleaning, disinfection protocols, raw ingredient handling and facility design.

• Phage monitoring programs: Routine monitoring for phage is a proactive measure. Regular sampling and analysis by culture suppliers provide valuable insights into phage presence and the effectiveness of current preventive measures.

• Culture storage: Storing cultures at or below -45°C and dosing them at recommended levels ensures viability and minimizes susceptibility to phage attacks.

• Rotational plans and backup cultures: Creating rotational plans for culture use based on phage monitoring and supplier services helps maintain performance. Maintaining backup cultures and using them before expiration is a best practice.

• Training and diagnostics: Annual phage training for employees ensures they are well-versed in prevention techniques. Annual phage diagnostics help identify process changes that could increase phage risk, allowing plants to adjust practices accordingly.

• DVS and EasySet: Simplifying phage management

Best practices provide a solid foundation for phage control, but many cheese plants find that starter culture selection significantly impacts phage management. DVS (Direct Vat Set) and EasySet systems, which involve adding cultures directly into the cheese vat, offer one reliable and consistent solution. Systems like these reduce the time and effort required for phage risk management, allowing for more uniform cheese production batch after batch.

“By simplifying culture handling, DVS and EasySet systems enable cheese plants to maintain tighter control over fermentation, reducing the risk of phage interference,” Maus says.

• Building resilience with digital tools

Phage management is not just about solving problems as they arise — it’s about building resilience at every step of production. Through decades of experience with DVS and EasySet cultures, we’ve learned that combining robust cultures with expert support and digital tools can dramatically reduce phage risk. Tools like PhageWatch allow cheesemakers to track current and historical phage data, providing an all-inclusive view of the phage landscape. This comprehensive approach empowers producers to make informed decisions, enhancing their ability to maintain consistency and high performance across every batch.

• The bottom line

Effective phage management is about more than preventing contamination — it ensures that every batch of cheese meets high-quality standards. By adopting best practices, cheesemakers can protect their cultures, optimize production and reduce the risk of costly disruptions. Utilizing cultures like DVS or EasySet systems simplifies phage management, leading to greater consistency and improved financial outcomes.

In a competitive industry, these improvements translate directly into financial gains. Consistent cheese quality means fewer product downgrades, less waste and higher productivity. When phage control becomes a priority, profitability follows. By leveraging best practices, digital tools and DVS systems, cheese plants can transform phage management into a manageable, everyday operation. This level of control ensures consistency in cheesemaking, ultimately improving financial performance and providing peace of mind for cheesemakers.

CMN

The views expressed by CMN’s guest columnists are their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect those of Cheese Market News®.

© 2024 Cheese Market News • Quarne Publishing, LLC • Legal Information • Online Privacy Policy • Terms and Conditions
Cheese Market News • Business/Advertising Office: P.O. Box 628254 • Middleton, WI 53562 • 608/831-6002
Cheese Market News • Editorial Office: 5315 Wall Street, Suite 100 • Madison, WI 53718 • 608/288-9090