The type of cheese curds determined the colouring capacity of Brevibacterium and Arthrobacter species.

This study compares the colouring capacity of Brevibacterium aurantiacum (BA), Brevibacterium BL and Arthrobacter species AS in relation to deacidified media made from lactic curd (Epoisses), mixed curds (Munster) and rennet curds (Livarot or Reblochon). BA colouring capacity proved to be constant, leading to a dark orange colour, irrespective of the deacidified media. However, it gave too dark a colour for Reblochon. The strains BL and AS were not adapted to the colouring of Epoisses deacidified medium. On the Livarot or Munster deacidified medium, these two strains provided a light yellow orange colour range that was not suitable for these cheeses. However, these two strains (BL and AS) produced a suitable colour for Reblochon deacidified medium.