Other Fermented Products

Meats
Sausages
Vegetables
Sauerkraut
Pickles
Soy Sauce
Olives

CHEESE

What is milk? Mostly water!

NPN Non-protein nitrogenous compounds

Cheese
Basic Process of making Cheese

Curdling separation of milkfat and protein from whey

Acid, heat, enzyme (rennet) or combinations all cause
curdling
Curd setting finishing
pH, salt content, bacteria culture, cooking times
Ripening - aging allow molds and or other bacteria to
alter fresh curd to hard aged cheese

Raw Milk
Pasteurize/Heat
Inoculate with Starter
Add Rennet and Form Coagulum
Cut Curd & Heat
Drain Whey
Texture Curd
Dry Salt/Brine
Store and Age

General Cheesemaking Steps

Cheese making process

1.pasteurized whole milk
- setting

the milk
- while stirring heat to 31C
- add lactic-acid producing starter cultures
- (add natural color)
- add rennin to coagulate caseins and form curds
- stop stirring and let set

Coagulation

Question 7

Sources of proteolytic enzymes in cheese

Name two sources of proteolytic enzymes that are active in all ripened cheeses and describe how they participate in casein breakdown.

Coagulant
Native milk enzymes: Rennet
Bacteria (starter and nonstarter)
cell envelope-associated protease
intracellular peptidases

Ingredients
Rennet:

An enzyme (protein) found in stomach

Binds other proteins (casein) and hydrolyzes cleaves,
the casein into smaller pieces

Specifically binds and cleaves the capping casein of milk protein

Removes the negative charged protein leaving the rest of the
casein proteins in micelles to aggregate and form long network of
gelatinize protein CURDS!

Acid: low pH also denatures proteins but forms less

stable networks and smaller curds

What is milk
An emulsion of fat goblets coated in protein
suspended in protein-rich water no really!
Composition of milk:
Liquid phase:

Lactose
Slightly acidic water (pH 6.6)
Bundles of proteins

Fat phase:
Droplets of oil cased in
protein

Question 9

Setting the milk (paracaseinate curd)

Coagulation

What are the functions of the coagulant?

Add coagulant.
Wait 20-30 minutes.
http://www.wsu.edu/creamery/phototours/phototourschz.ht
m

Coagulants contain proteases and serve two purposes:

Coagulate the casein micelle to form paracaseinate curd.
Participate in casein breakdown during cheese ripening
What determines the type of coagulant?
Tradition
Price and availability
Proteolysis during cheese ripening

Changes in micelle structure with acidification

If you want a cheese with at stretchy texture, would you want more or less acid (higher or lower pH) in the curd compared to a
cheese with a crumbly texture?

H+

H+

H+

Increasing acidity, decreasing pH

Rigid, rubbery,
no curd knitting

Pliable, elastic,
stretchy

0.15% TA
pH ~5.4

Crumbly

0.95% TA
pH~4.9

Loss of
structure,
pasty,
gummy,
brittle

2. Cut the curd

- increase surface area
- release the whey

3. Cooking (38C for 30 minutes)

- removes more whey
- increases growth and acid production of cultures

6. Pressing :
to remove more whey :
-moisture content will affect bacterial growth and texture

7. Salting/Brining
-2.5% salt is added:
drains whey, inhibits
spoilage organism and
adds flavor

8.Ripening:
Bacteria and mold develop flavor and texture
over time

Ripening: flavor and texture development

-Primary proteolysis
- 60 days
- caseins broken down into medium molec. wt. peptides
secondary proteolysis
- starter cultures break down peptides to lower molec. wts.
Temperature: 5-7C
pH: 5.0 - 4.7
- inhibits growth of spoilage organisms
- inhibits enzyme activity

Cheese Ripening
Flavor and texture changes during ripening are caused by
MICROBIAL POPULATION CHANGES
Starter culture bacteria
Other intentionally added bacteria, yeasts, molds
Unintentionally added microorganisms

MIcrorganisms Used in Dairy

Fermentation
Starter Bacteria
acid & flavor production
mesophiles, thermophiles

Non-Starter Lactic Acid Bacteria

flavor & texture

Secondary Bacteria

surface ripened cheeses

Molds

surface ripened cheeses

Yeasts

Bacteria Cheese Cultures

Two phases of bacterial growth require two different
strains of bacteria

Non starter bacteria

specifically added or survive
heat treatment
Grow in more acidic and dry
conditions
Produce many of the finished
qualities of cheese
putrification degredation of
amino acids by bacteria

Non
Starter
ripening
Starter acid
producing
0

50
200

100

Time (Days)

150

Fermentation
Pathways
1.

Lactic Acid Fermentation

2.

essential pathway in dairy fermentation

production of acid & flavor

Proprionic Acid Fermentation

3.

production of flavor & eye formation in Swiss type

cheeses

Citric Acid Fermentation

4.

production of mild dairy flavors important in buttermilk,

sour cream, cottage & other cheeses

Alcoholic Fermentation

5.

used for production of alcohol in products like koumiss

Butyric Acid Fermentation

6.

causes flavor defects

Coliform/Gassy Fermentation

causes flavor defects, spoilage

Properties of Lactic Acid Bacteria Important to

Finished Product Quality

lactose metabolism
galactose metabolism
protease activity
peptidase activity
lipolytic activity
diacetyl production
acetaldehyde production
exopolysaccharide production
phage resistance

Finishing Microbes
Holy Cheese (cow)? Propionibacteria:

Convert lactic acid to propionoic and acetic acid plus acetic

acid and CO2. Also other flavors
Used to make Swiss Cheese
Need higher temps and time for bacteria to grow and produce
Growth requirements reflect
origins of bacteria
Propionoic
acid
animal skin
Lactic
acid
Acetic

Carbon Dioxide

Finishing Microbes
Smear Bacteria smelly cheeses like
munster and limburger cheese
Live in high salt (most bacteria wont do well)
Grow on surface of cheese need oxygen and
cant grow in acidic conditions from starter culture
The cultures are swiped or smeared
on surface of pressed cheeses
Responsible for protein breakdown
into stinky molecules

Finishing Microbes
Moldy Cheese

Microbes which grow in dry oxygenated conditions, tend to

age cheese from inside out.
Likely introduced to cheeses as young cheeses were stored in
moldy caves for storage
Penicillium roqueforti and P. camemberti most common strains
Produce color, texture and flavor

Metabolize fat and proteins differently than yeast or bacteria

Blue (bleu) Cheese streaked or even injected with mold

spores give blue, grey or green color often a favorite with
wine and cheese

Cheese Flavoring
Protein, fat and metabolites (know this word!)

Proteins mostly degredation products of casein

Amines the amino portion of amino acids

Fish smell trimethylamine

Putrescine polymer of amines
Sulfur from cysteine- amino acid side group
Ammonia nitrogen from amino acids
Amino acids themselves have tastes

The more
finished the more
flavors why?

Fats different sized and modified fatty acids add different

flavors and textures molds typically alter fats

Short chain fatty acids buttery or peppery taste

Smaller break down products ketones highly fragrant

Cheese Ripening
Flavor and texture changes during ripening are caused by

What is autolysis, and why is it important in cheese ripening?

Where do nonstarter lactic acid bacteria (NSLAB) come from and

what is their effect on cheese?
How does proteolysis during ripening affect cheese flavor and texture?
How are autolysis and proteolysis related?

CHEMICAL REACTIONS
Enzymes
Added enzymes
Native milk enzymes
Microbial enzymes
Nonenzymatic chemical reactions

Question 4

Ripening: Surface-ripened (mold),

Changes in pH during Camembert cheese ripening

pH increases due to:

Release of ammonia by molds proteolytic enyz
Consumption of lactic acid by mold

Question 4

Ripening: Surface-ripened (mold)

Which has the higher pH, the surface or the inside of a surface mold ripened cheese? Give two reasons for the pH difference.

Penicillium camemberti

mold spores added to surface

of cheese after pressing or added to milk before coagulation
Little O2 inside cheese, so mold only grows on
Examples: surface. BUT, the extracellular enzymes produced
by the mold (proteases and lipases) can diffuse in
Camembert
to the cheese. Size affects ripening.
Brie

Flavor from protein, carbohydrate and lipid degradation by:

P. camemberti proteases and lipases

Milk enzymes
Coagulant
Starter culture
Nonstarter bacteria

Blue Cheeses Based on Origen

Roquefort - France

Gorgonzola- Italy

Cambreles- Spain

Stilton- England

Danish Blue Cheese

Question 10

Transformation of curds (optional)

Dependent on cheese variety not all have this step

Coalesce curds together to form the characteristic texture
or the cheese variety
Accumulation of acid and/or physical manipulations
help the curds come together in a specific way

Examples: stretching of Mozzarella

Question 10

Mozzarella

Changes in structure due to stretching

Figure from M. Johnson, University of Wisconsin

Figure from D. McMahon, Utah State Univeristy

Question 10

Mozzarella

Figure from M. Johnson, University of Wisconsin

Extent of demineralization

Variables in Cheesemaking

milk source & treatment

microorganisms used
time
temperature
pH
salt
environmental conditions

water quality, sanitation

oxygen, native flora (good & bad)
storage temperature, humidity

Variations in the Finished

Cheese

Yield
Moisture
Flavor
Texture
Aging Characteristics
Defects

Types of Cheese

Fresh cheese
Acid Coagulated Fresh Cheese
(lactic acid from bacteria)
no enzyme is used to finish the
curd
Cottage and Cream Cheese

fresh type cheese

high moisture (54-80%)
relatively short shelf life
coagulation at pH 4.6 (higher w/ heat)

Semi soft cheese

monastery, munster,
brie, blue, camembert,
feta

Semi-hard Cheese
(washing cheese removes acid
and lactose)
Acid and enzyme induced
curdling
But removal of milk sugar
and acid results in no
fermentation results in a
moist and less finished
cheese
Gouda, colby, muenster,
mozzarella

Hard Cheese (Low and High

Temp)

Low moister makes a more dense hard cheese

Elevated temps and pressing drive off water
Cheddar, Romano, Parmesan, Swiss,

Making the Cheese

Cooking with cheese

Melting cheese process of changing state of
matter from solid to liquid
o

Melting requires adding energy to defeat chemical

bonds holding molecules in place (solid)
The

more and stronger the bonds the higher the

heat/energy it takes to break the bonds

o
o

Cheese is a complex of many types of solids with

different interactions
Water, fat and protein content and type all alter
ability of cheese to melt or cook well

Processed Cheese
Velveeta & Cheez Whiz made from mixtures of
young and old scraps of cheese

Phosphate salts highly charged molecules bind well to

water and casein keeping proteins in a loose protein form
soft cheese
The reduction in protein interaction and low stringy
cheese makes this great for melting

MILK, WATER, MILKFAT, WHEY, WHEY PROTEIN

CONCENTRATE, SODIUM PHOSPHATE, MILK PROTEIN
CONCENTRATE, ALGINATE (algae cell wall polysaccharideemulsifier), SODIUM CITRATE, APOCAROTENAL (COLOR),
ANNATTO (COLOR), ENZYMES, CHEESE CULTURE.

Cheese melting
Moisture content impacts meltability

High protein, low water cheeses (parmesan) melt poorly as

the protein sticks together well
Acid only curdled cheeses have too inter-bonded proteins
and calcium to melt well

Fat will melt first oil drops forming in heated cheese

Fat will break down and burn if not carefully handled and
heat is added too quickly
Stringy cheese is due to cross-linked proteins lubricated
by melting fat moderate acid, high fat and water

Mozzarella and cheddar work best for gooiness