A texturizing Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis lactic acid bacterium strain comprising an active eps gene cluster capable of producing exopolysaccharide (EPS) wherein the eps gene cluster comprises following nucleotide sequences: a) a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having polymerase activity and wherein the polypeptide has at least 95% identity with the amino acid sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:9 (herein termed wzy); and b) a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having polysaccharide transporter activity and wherein the polypeptide has at least 95% identity with the amino acid sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12 (herein termed wzx); and c) three nucleotide sequences encoding a polypeptide having glycosyltransferase (GT) activity: c1) the polypeptide has at least 95% identity with the amino acid sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:8 (herein termed GT1); and c2) the polypeptide has at least 95% identity with the amino acid sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 10 (herein termed GT2); and c3) the polypeptide has at least 95% identity with the amino acid sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 11 (herein termed GT3); and (d) a nucleotide sequence having at least 95% identity with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 (herein termed the eps cluster of CHCC11848), wherein the texturizing lactic acid bacterium strain is a strain which generates fermented milks having a shear stress greater than 40 Pa measured at shear rate 300 s -1 , measured under following conditions: 200 ml semi-fat milk (1.5% fat) enriched with 2 g skim milk powder is heated to 90°C for 20 min, followed by cooling to inoculation temperature, and inoculated with 2 ml of an overnight culture of the lactic acid bacterium strain, and left at inoculation temperature until pH 4.55 followed by storage at 4°C for 5 days, followed by gently stirring and measuring the shear stress at shear rate 300 s -1 , wherein the inoculation temperature is 30°C. a) a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having polymerase activity and wherein the polypeptide has at least 95% identity with the amino acid sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:9 (herein termed wzy); and b) a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide having polysaccharide transporter activity and wherein the polypeptide has at least 95% identity with the amino acid sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12 (herein termed wzx); and c) three nucleotide sequences encoding a polypeptide having glycosyltransferase (GT) activity: c1) the polypeptide has at least 95% identity with the amino acid sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:8 (herein termed GT1); and c2) the polypeptide has at least 95% identity with the amino acid sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 10 (herein termed GT2); and c3) the polypeptide has at least 95% identity with the amino acid sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 11 (herein termed GT3); and c1) the polypeptide has at least 95% identity with the amino acid sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:8 (herein termed GT1); and c2) the polypeptide has at least 95% identity with the amino acid sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 10 (herein termed GT2); and c3) the polypeptide has at least 95% identity with the amino acid sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 11 (herein termed GT3); and (d) a nucleotide sequence having at least 95% identity with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 (herein termed the eps cluster of CHCC11848), <EOS>