Propionibacterium freudenreichii

Propionibacterium freudenreichii suppliers and sourcing guide

Propionibacterium freudenreichii is a dairy propionic acid bacterium that ferments lactate into propionic acid, acetic acid and carbon dioxide, which form the eyes and nutty flavor of Swiss-type cheeses. It is sold as a ripening culture for Emmental-type cheese, as cultured dextrose or cultured skim milk ingredients used as preservatives, as a probiotic powder, and as heat-killed cell powder. It also makes vitamin B12 and has been used as a production organism for it.

See suppliers What to ask for on the COA

Category: Probiotics, cultures and yeasts
Also known as: P. freudenreichii · Propionibacterium freudenreichii subsp. shermanii · propionic acid bacteria · Swiss cheese culture
Facts checked: November 2026

Forms and grades of propionibacterium freudenreichii

Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.

Cheese ripening culture
Freeze-dried or frozen culture added with the starter for Emmental, Jarlsberg and other eye-forming cheeses, dosed in units per volume of milk.
Cultured dextrose or skim milk
Dried fermentate of the bacterium grown on dextrose or milk, used as a label-friendly preservative ingredient and sold by weight, not count.
Freeze-dried probiotic powder
A named strain at a stated CFU per gram for supplements.
Heat-killed powder
Inactivated cell culture powder sold by weight, a different ingredient from the live culture.

What to check on the COA

Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.

Viable count (CFU/g): Anaerobic plate count on a sodium lactate agar, which needs about a week of incubation, reported per gram; not applicable to fermentates and heat-killed powders.
Propionic acid content: For cultured dextrose and skim milk ingredients, propionic and acetic acid by HPLC or GC, which is how those ingredients are standardized.
Identity: Species and strain confirmed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and a strain-level method such as whole-genome sequencing.
Contaminant microbiology: Coliforms or Enterobacteriaceae, E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, yeast and mold, and absence of Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes.
Moisture: Loss on drying against the supplier's maximum.
Allergen statement: Declaration of milk, soy or other allergens used in the growth medium or carrier, which buyers need for their own label review.

Storage, lots and expiry

Storage and shelf life

Live cultures are kept frozen or refrigerated in sealed foil packs as the supplier specifies. Fermentate and heat-killed powders are stored sealed, cool and dry, since they take up moisture and cake. Shelf life is set by the supplier from count or acid-content stability data, and aged stock is retested before use.

Lots and expiry dates

For live cultures record the count, strain and activity; for fermentates record the propionic acid content, since dosing depends on it. Keep each form on its own specification and rotate stock FEFO.

Regulatory status

Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.

Health Canada's Probiotics monograph for natural health products lists Propionibacterium freudenreichii as a medicinal ingredient, and the licence application and label must give the strain designation.
Source: webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca (opens in a new tab)
FDA's GRAS Notice Inventory lists GRN 128 for skim milk or dextrose cultured with Propionibacterium freudenreichii subsp. shermanii, notified by Rhodia Inc. for use as an antimicrobial agent in listed foods; it closed on November 26, 2003 with FDA having no questions. The notice covers that notifier's substance and intended use only.
Source: hfpappexternal.fda.gov (opens in a new tab)
FDA's GRAS Notice Inventory lists GRN 415 for a heat-killed Propionibacterium freudenreichii ET-3 culture powder, notified by Meiju Co., Ltd.; it closed on December 26, 2012 with FDA having no questions. The notice covers that notifier's substance and intended use only.
Source: hfpappexternal.fda.gov (opens in a new tab)
The EU Novel Food Catalogue entry for Propionibacterium freudenreichii (POL-NF-09456) gives the status not novel in food both to the bacteria as a characteristic ingredient and to its heat-killed whole biomass.
Source: ec.europa.eu (opens in a new tab)

This is general information, not regulatory advice. Status differs by country and by how the ingredient is used, so check the rules for your product and market.

Propionibacterium freudenreichii suppliers

Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.

We are checking propionibacterium freudenreichii suppliers now

Every listing is checked against the supplier’s own website before it goes live, so this list fills in over the coming weeks. The specs and COA checklist above are ready today.

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Frequently asked questions

What forms of propionibacterium freudenreichii can brands buy?

Common forms include cheese ripening culture, cultured dextrose or skim milk, freeze-dried probiotic powder and heat-killed powder. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.

What should the COA for propionibacterium freudenreichii include?

Expect viable count (CFU/g), propionic acid content, identity, contaminant microbiology, moisture and allergen statement, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.

How should propionibacterium freudenreichii be stored?

What is the regulatory status of propionibacterium freudenreichii?

Health Canada's Probiotics monograph for natural health products lists Propionibacterium freudenreichii as a medicinal ingredient, and the licence application and label must give the strain designation. FDA's GRAS Notice Inventory lists GRN 128 for skim milk or dextrose cultured with Propionibacterium freudenreichii subsp. shermanii, notified by Rhodia Inc. for use as an antimicrobial agent in listed foods; it closed on November 26, 2003 with FDA having no questions. The notice covers that notifier's substance and intended use only. FDA's GRAS Notice Inventory lists GRN 415 for a heat-killed Propionibacterium freudenreichii ET-3 culture powder, notified by Meiju Co., Ltd.; it closed on December 26, 2012 with FDA having no questions. The notice covers that notifier's substance and intended use only. The EU Novel Food Catalogue entry for Propionibacterium freudenreichii (POL-NF-09456) gives the status not novel in food both to the bacteria as a characteristic ingredient and to its heat-killed whole biomass.

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