Which among the following is responsible for big holes in Swiss cheese ?

Bacterium producing large amount of carbondioxide.

Different varieties of cheese are known by their characteristic texture, flavor and taste, the specificity coming from the microbes used.The large holes in ‘Swiss cheese’ are due to the production of a large amount of CO₂ by a bacterium named Propionibacterium sharmanii.

During fermentation, Propionibacterium shermanii consumes lactic acid and produces carbon dioxide gas as a byproduct. However, it also produces propionic acid, which is responsible for the distinctive flavor of Swiss cheese. The carbon dioxide produced by this bacterium forms bubbles that get trapped in the cheese, leading to the formation of the characteristic large holes.

Therefore, the correct answer is that the bacterium responsible for the big holes in Swiss cheese is Propionibacterium shermanii, which produces both carbon dioxide and propionic acid.