The objective of this invention is to improve the yield, texture, flavor and quality of low fat Cheddar cheese during ripening using exopolysaccharides producing lactobacilli and ripening cultures. The cheese manufactured with a modified protocol using EPS- producing cultures and ripening cultures showed higher values for moisture content (45%) and yield (9.4%) when compared to cheese manufactured with the conventional procedure and without the addition of EPS-producing cultures (37.7%) and ripening cultures (4.9%). The obtained results indicated a 70% decrease in the fat content of the cheese. Texture profile analysis (TPA) indicated that the hardness, the cohesiveness, the springiness, the gumminess and the chewiness of the cheeses made using the EPS producing cultures decreased with aging. The texture of the ripened low fat cheese made using EPS-producing cultures was described as chewy, springy, cohesive, smooth and the elimination of the bitter flavor defect which is a common problem in low fat Cheddar.