Process for producing a mesophilic fermented milk product

2-3. (canceled)

(canceled)

A composition of lactic acid bacteria comprising at least one lactose-deficient Streptococcus thermophilus strain and at least one lactose-deficient Lactococcus lactis strain.

12-13. (canceled)

A process for increasing the texture of a fermented milk product, comprising:

• (1) adding to a milk base a starter culture of lactic acid bacteria comprising at least one lactose-deficient Streptococcus thermophilus strain capable of metabolizing sucrose and at least one lactose-deficient Lactococcus lactis strain capable of metabolizing sucrose, wherein the at least one lactose-deficient Lactococcus lactis strain capable of metabolizing sucrose comprises one or more selected from lactose-deficient Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris strains capable of metabolizing sucrose and Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis strains capable of metabolizing sucrose, and
• (2) fermenting the milk for a period of time until a target pH is reached to obtain a fermented milk product, wherein sucrose is added to the milk base at the start of the fermentation step,
• wherein the fermented milk product has one or both of increased gel firmness and increased shear stress as compared to a fermented milk product made by the same process except using a starter culture comprising at least one lactose-positive Streptococcus thermophilus strain capable of metabolizing lactose and at least one lactose-positive Lactococcus lactis strain capable of metabolizing lactose.