Impact of Using Freeze-Shocked Adjunct Cultures on Edam Cheese Quality During Ripening

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Dairy Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt

2 Agricultural Research Centre, Food research and Technology Institute, Giza, Egypt

Abstract

Aiming to enhance the proteolysis of Edam cheese through using 1% freeze-shocked Lactobacillus (freezed for 96 hr/-18°C) on cheese curd based on the quantity of cheese-milk and followed its impact on the quality characteristics. Edam cheese was made with traditional starter to serve as control cheese. While other treatments were manufactured by using traditional starter, plus 1% freeze shocked of Lactobacillus casei (T1), Lb. helveticus (T2) or Lb. plantarum (T3). The changes in the composition, ripening indices, rheological properties, and sensory attributes of Edam cheese from different treatments were followed during ripening period (60 days). Freeze- shocked treated cheeses had no significant effect on the gross composition with lower pH values as compared to control cheese. Also using freeze-shocked lactobacilli in Edam cheese enhanced all the ripening indices expressed as soluble nitrogen coefficient, non-protein nitrogen coefficient, free amino acids, and total volatile fatty acids. The rheological characteristics of Edam cheese with freeze-shocked cultures had lower hardness, cohesiveness, gumminess, and chewiness than control. Edam cheese made with Lb. helveticus (T2), showed the highest proteolysis rate, while showing significantly lower hardness, gumminess, and improved sensory attributes than control cheese. Using freeze-shocked Lb. helveticus, Lb. casei and Lb. plantarum as adjunct culture for Edam cheese making had a pronounced effect on both flavor and body and texture of the resultant cheeses and reduced the ripening period to 45 days instead of 60 days for control cheese. Using 1% Lb. helveticus as adjunct culture on cheese curd improved the cheese quality more effectively.

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