Method for making cheese

A process for improving the texture and/or taste and/or flavor of cheese, comprising:

• adding to milk
• a lactic acid bacteria culture comprising a strain belonging to a genus selected from the group consisting of Lactococcus, Leuconostoc, Pediococcus, Streptococcus, Lactobacillus, and Enterococcus, and
• a non-attenuated, non-acidifying Lactobacillus helveticus strain selected from Lactobacillus helveticus strain DSM 19501 deposited at the Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen and Zellkulturen GmBH (DSMZ) and mutants thereof, wherein the non-attenuated, non-acidifying Lactobacillus helveticus strain has at least as high cell wall bound protease activity as acidifying Lactobacillus helveticus strain DSM 19500 deposited at the DSMZ, and is not able to lower the pH more than 1.5 pH units from a starting pH of 6.5 after 10 hours incubation at 37° C. when inoculated from a fresh over-night culture at an inoculation dose of 1.5×107 cfu/ml into 200 ml of milk, and
• a coagulant;
• and then heating the resultant mixture to a temperature in the range of 30 to 45° C.