PL206392B1 - Method for providing a cheese by adding a lactic acid bacterial starter culture to the cheese curd - Google Patents

Description

(12) PATENT DESCRIPTION (19) PL (11) 206392 (13) B1 (21) Application number: 359418 (51) Int.Cl.

(22) Filing date: April 27, 2001 A23C 19/06 (2006.01)

A23C 19/032 (2006.01) (86) Date and number of the international application:

2001-04-27, PCT / DK01 / 000284 (87) Date and publication number of the international application:

01.11.2001, WO01 / 80655 (54) Method for producing hard, semi-hard or semi-soft cheese (30) Priority:

27.04.2000, DK, PA200000694 (43) Application announced:

23.08.2004 BUP 17/04 (45) The following was announced about the grant of the patent:

31.08.2010 WUP 08/10 (73) Authorized by the patent:

LACT INNOVATION APS, Kolding, DK (72) Inventor (s):

KIM TOFT ANDERSEN, K0benhavn, DK (74) Agent:

item. stalemate. Elżbieta Pietruszyńska-Dajewska

PL 206 392 B1

Description of the invention

The present invention relates to the field of cheese making. In particular, the present invention relates to a new method of producing a hard, semi-hard or semi-soft cheese, comprising the preparation of a cheese curd using a shearing agent and then introducing a lactic acid bacterial starter culture into the thus obtained cheese curd. The method is useful for the production of various types of cheeses derived from a single curd.

Cheese is a fresh or matured dairy product containing mainly varying amounts of coagulated milk proteins, fat, water and salt. There are an enormous number of different types of cheeses depending on the production region, consumption habits, chemical composition, texture, taste, aroma and shelf life. Also, the methods of making the cheeses differ for the different types of cheeses produced.

Basically, there are several main steps in the cheese making process which are the same for all cheeses. Typically, the milk intended for the production of cheese is pasteurized, that is, it is subjected to heat to kill pathogenic microorganisms and spoilage bacteria such as coliform bacteria, which can spoil the cheese by producing large amounts of gas and an unpleasant odor. The milk is then usually standardized to ensure an appropriate ratio of ingredients which is specific to the type of cheese.

Thereafter, a microbial starter culture and a clotting agent are added to initiate specific enzymatic proteolysis of the milk proteins leading to destabilization of the casein micelles and subsequent coagulation of the milk. Clotting agents include natural enzymes obtained from microbes or from animal tissues, or genetically engineered enzymes obtained by recombination of cells expressing an enzyme of animal or microbial origin for clotting milk may be introduced.

The starter cultures are often cultures of acid-producing bacteria that are added to the cheese milk to adjust the pH, desired flavor, aroma and texture for the required cheese and to reduce the pH of the cheese milk when the activity of the added curd-forming enzyme is higher in an acidic environment. In addition, the reduction in pH caused by the metabolism of the starter microbial culture inhibits the growth of undesirable microbes and prevents biochemical reactions.

In addition to producing acids and flavor compounds, the starter culture organisms also produce and / or contain proteases, peptidases and aminopeptidases, similar to the milk clot agent, which break down milk proteins and carbohydrates in a non-specific way, which are important, however, during the ripening of the cheese. .

After a suitable period of time has elapsed while the coagulum is sheared and agitated, the product is allowed to syneresize sufficiently and the whey is drained off. The product obtained is referred to as a clot. Depending on the type of cheese produced, the curd is then pressed into the shape and consistency characteristic of the type of cheese, and is usually transferred to a salt solution for salting. The pH value of a traditional curd is between 5.6 and 6.4. Finally, the curd is kept under a ripening process to obtain the final cheese, with the final pH in the cheese being a pH of 4.9 to 5.3 during the first 48 hours depending on from the metabolic activity of the starter culture.

To accelerate the maturation process of the cheese which is initiated by the selected starter culture added to the cheese milk, a ripening accelerator such as a microorganism or an enzyme added to the cheese milk or cheese curd may be added. Thus, the ripening agent is only added as an additive to the starter culture and / or to the milk clotting agent.

The selection of the microbial starter culture is based on the tradition, the desired flavor, aroma and texture of the cheese, and the level and extent of the desired acidity achieved during the manufacturing process and remaining in the final cheese. Useful commercial dairy starter cultures usually contain lactic acid producing lactic acid bacteria. As used herein, the term lactic acid bacterium denotes a group of gram-positive, catalase-negative, non-motile, microaerophilic or anaerobic bacteria that ferment sugar to form acids such as lactic acid produced predominantly and additionally produce acid. acetic acid, formic acid and propionic acid. The most commercially useful lactic acid bacteria are those of the species Lactococcus, Streptococcus, Enterococcus, Lactobacillus, Leuconostoc and Pediococcus. The microorganisms of the starter culture will continue sugar fermentation until it is interrupted by the conditions in the cheese, for example by unfavorable pH, salt and / or temperature effects. Since microbial activity in the starter culture is generally desired throughout the cheese making process, i.e. both during coagulation of the milk proteins and during the maturation of the cheese, the conditions in and around the cheese are carefully selected to prevent any added microorganisms from being killed.

It is evident from the above description of the traditional cheese making method that the different activities of the microorganisms added in the starter culture to the cheese milk initiate the maturation processes of the cheese and thus largely determine the pH, taste, aroma, aroma and texture characteristic of the resulting cheese curd and the type of cheese. . This means that the type of cheese is determined early in the process, that is, when the starter culture is added to the cheese milk.

Therefore, the dairy producer has to decide at an early stage of the cheese making process, that is, before adding the starter culture to the cheese milk, which type of cheese he wants to make. This fact implies the need to limit the production in the dairy to only one type of cheese at a time and / or one type of cheese on each production line. However, there is a clear tendency in the dairy industry to create more production units which are dedicated to producing cheese in the shortest possible time, which are more economical and more flexible and which can be operated with less manpower.

An important object of the present invention is to provide an improved cheese making process that is prepared to meet the increased demands of the higher flexibility of the modern cheese industry. The present method provides a dairy plant which enables a decision on the type of cheese to be produced at a later stage of production, i.e. after the cheese curd has been obtained and / or in the maturation stage of the cheese curd. Moreover, the present method enables the dairy plant to produce many different types of cheeses based on a single batch of cheese curd. In addition, more cheese curd can be produced in an hour of operation in the same machine, the process can be automated to a greater extent and carried out more safely and homogeneously with less risk, and bacteriophage contamination, which is usually a problem in traditional cheese-making methods, can be eliminated. Moreover, the method of the present invention allows dairy plant operators to more easily control the cheese ripening process.

The method of the present invention is based on the unexpected finding that the type of cheese can be determined later in the cheese-making process by initially making the cheese curd with a clotting agent and then, once the curd is obtained, introducing the lactic acid-producing bacterial starter culture into the cheese curd. to induce the maturation of the cheese, the activity of the culture determining the desired pH, texture and sensory parameters such as taste, aroma and aroma of the resulting cheese. When a lactic acid-producing starter culture is introduced into the cheese curd, the taste and texture characteristic of the resulting cheese is determined late in the cheese-making process. This procedure allows the production of a large batch of cheese curd, which can then be divided into smaller portions, each of which can be inoculated with different conventional or specific lactic acid starter cultures to obtain different types of cheese or different ripening profiles (storage time) based on this. the cheese starting material itself.

Various cheese making processes are known in cheese making in which the cheese maturation agent, i.e. a mold or an enzyme such as lipase, is added to the conventionally made curd before maturation. The German patent DE 195 546 345 describes a process for the production of Blue cheese. According to the traditional method of making Blue cheese, for example, in the Danablue process, a starter culture of the microorganism, a milk shear, and P. roqueforti spores are added to the cheese milk, a coagulation and a salting step are performed, and the resulting cheese curd is treated. air by pricking the cheese. According to German Patent No. DE 195 46 345, the fungal spores are added together with the puncture. In addition to providing the best conditions for the survival of P. roqueforti spores in Blue cheese, this method involves the use of a traditional cheese curd.

The preparation was mixed with the traditional starter culture and the milk curdling agent was added to the cheese milk.

Another example of a method for making cheese is described in US Patent 3,973,042, in which a mixture of microbial lipase and P. roqueforti spores are added to a conventionally produced cheese curd after the whey has been drained. According to this finding, lipase is an important factor in obtaining the characteristic rancid taste of Blue cheese.

Accordingly, the cheese industry is not yet familiar with a cheese making method in which a lactic acid bacterial starter culture is added to a cheese curd. Thus, it has hitherto not been possible to determine the type of cheese at various stages or at a later stage by adding a lactic acid bacterial starter culture to the cheese curd. This may be due to the traditional mindset and conservatism of the cheese industry, which usually hates the changes in traditional, old ways of making cheese.

The present invention relates to a method for producing a hard, semi-hard or semi-soft cheese, which comprises the following steps:

(i) adding the curd to the cheese milk and allowing the curd in the cheese milk for a maximum of 2 hours, preferably a maximum of 1 hour or a maximum of 30 minutes, more preferably a maximum of 10 minutes or a maximum of 8 minutes, most preferably a maximum of 5 minutes, a maximum of 3 minutes or a maximum of 2 minutes, (ii) carrying out the conventional steps of making a cheese curd, including pumping the whey to form a cheese curd, (iii) adding a lactic acid bacterial starter culture to the cheese curd obtained in step (ii) of the cheese curd, to obtain a cheese with specific properties , including its specific flavor characteristics, and keeping the cheese curd obtained in step (iii) under ripening conditions to obtain cheese.

Preferably the shear agent is selected from the group consisting of an enzyme, a microorganism and an acid.

More preferably, the microorganism is selected from the group consisting of bacterial species, fungal species and yeast species.

Even more preferably, the bacterial species are lactic acid bacterial species including Lactococcus species, Lactobacillus species, Bifidobacterium species, Streptococcus species, Leuconostoc species, Micrococus species, Enterococcus species and Pediococcus species.

Preferably, the curd agent in step (i) is added to the cheese milk in combination with at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of a pH adjusting agent, a microorganism, an enzyme, a colorant, a protein, a vitamin, a mineral, a bacterial medium, a whey component and a fiber. alimentary.

More preferably, the microorganism is selected from the group consisting of bacterial species, fungal species and yeast species.

Preferably, the lactic acid bacterial starter culture added to the cheese curd in step (iii) comprises lactic acid bacterial species including Lactococcus species, Lactobacillus species, Streptococcus species, Leuconostoc species, Micrococcus species, Enterococcus species and Pediococcus species.

More preferably the species of lactic acid bacteria are those conventionally used for the production of a particular type of cheese.

Preferably, the lactic acid bacterial starter culture in step (iii) is added to the cheese curd in combination with at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of a pH adjusting agent, microorganism, enzyme, flavoring, flavoring, coloring agent, protein, vitamin, salt, mineral component, bacterial nutrient, whey component and dietary fiber.

More preferably, the microorganism is selected from the group consisting of bacterial species, fungal species and yeast species.

More preferably the enzyme is selected from the group consisting of peptidase, protease and lipase.

Preferably, the lactic acid bacterial starter culture is added in step (iii) to the cheese curd by means of at least one nozzle needle.

Preferably, the cheese curd is divided into at least two portions prior to step (iii), to which a lactic acid bacterial starter culture is added in step (iii) to obtain different types of cheese.

PL 206 392 B1

Preferably, the lactic acid bacterial starter culture added in step (iii) is free of Bifidobacterium species.

Thus, in accordance with its broadest aspect, the present invention provides a method of making cheese by adding a lactic acid bacterial starter culture to the cheese curd which determines the desired pH, sensory parameters and texture of the resulting cheese. This procedure assumes that the starter culture possibly added to the cheese milk as a curdling agent, unlike conventional cheese technology, is not the primary factor determining the pH, sensory parameters and texture of the resulting cheese. This action, according to the present invention, is transferred to a lactic acid bacterial starter culture which is added after the cheese curd is obtained.

According to the invention, a cheese curd is obtained by adding a curd agent to the cheese milk. As used herein, the expression "curd agent" means any compounds, substances or microorganisms which, when added to the cheese milk, are capable of curdling the milk proteins. However, unlike the conventional starter culture used in accordance with conventional cheese making technology, the shear agent is not the primary or sole determinant of the pH, texture and sensory attribute such as flavor, aroma, aroma of the resulting cheese. According to a preferred embodiment, the shearing agent is an agent selected from the group consisting of an enzyme, a microorganism, and an acid or a combination of one or more such agents.

As used herein, the term "cheese curd is used interchangeably with the term" coagulum and denotes the material remaining after the milk proteins have coagulated and the whey has been extracted. According to the invention, the cheese curd may be produced from any type of milk or milk component, for example, cow's milk, buffalo's milk, goat's milk or sheep's milk. Moreover, such curd may contain whey or any milk ingredient, for example butter fat substitutes such as vegetable oil or vegetable protein. Before use, the milk may be treated so that it exhibits a low number of spoilage microorganisms. Accordingly, the milk may be pasteurized or the milk may be subjected to the combined action of centrifuge cleaning and microfiltration or any conventional action of treatment and standardization of cheese milk.

According to the invention, acidification and coagulation of the milk can be initiated by chemical acidification or by adding a microbial starter culture, such as a conventional or specifically selected lactic acid bacterial culture. Useful compounds for the chemical acidification of the cheese milk include any food grade acid that is approved for use in food or food products, such as lactic acid, acetic acid, citric acid, or gluconodeltalactone. Lowering the pH in the cheese milk has been found to destabilize the casein sufficiently to cause the milk proteins to coagulate or shear. Thus, in one preferred embodiment of the present invention, a cheese curd is made by acidifying the milk to a pH less than pH 6.7, such as less than pH 6.5, for example less than pH 6.2, including less than 6.0, such as less than pH 5.7, for example less than pH 5.5, such as less than pH 5.2, such as less than pH 5.0, for example less than pH 4.8 .

By heating the cheese milk, the coagulation of casein can be increased or accelerated. In traditional cheese making processes, the use of higher temperatures is not possible due to the thermal instability of the microorganism added in the starter culture.

However, when the pH in the cheese milk reaches values above pH 5.0, it may be necessary in some cases to add a curd to the milk in order to obtain sufficient coagulation of the milk proteins. Thus, in one useful embodiment, a cheese curd is made by adding a curd enzyme to the cheese milk in combination with a food grade acid or microbial starter culture. When the process is carried out in accordance with the above method, any milk shearing agent may be used, such as a natural enzyme obtained from a microbial source or from animal tissue, or a genetically engineered milk shearing enzyme produced by recombinant cells expressing a milk shearing enzyme derived from animal tissue. or of microbial origin. According to a useful embodiment, the curd is made by adding the milk-curdling enzyme to the cheese milk without or with limited acidification of the milk.

According to a useful embodiment, the cutting agent added to the cheese milk in step (i) according to the present invention is a microorganism selected from the group consisting of bacterial species, fungal species and yeast species. Useful bacterial species are lactic acid bacterial species, such as Lactococcus species including L. lactis and L. cremoris, Lactobacillus species

PL 206 392 B1 including L. casei, L. paracasei, L. delbrueckii, L. halveticus and L. acidophilus, Bifidobacterium species including B. bifidum, B. lactis and B. longum, Streptococcus species including S. thermophilus and S. faecium , Leuconostoc species include ce Ln. lactis and Ln. mesenteroides, Micrococcus species, Enterococcus species and Pediococcus species. Other useful bacterial species, such as Brevibacterium species, including B. casei species, Staphylococcus species, Arthrobacter species, and Corynebacterium species, can be used.

Useful fungal cultures include, for example, Penicillium species such as P. roqueforti P. candidum, Endothia parasitica, Aspergillus species such as A. niger and Torelospora species such as T. delbrueckii. Yeast species that may be useful as a shear agent in the method of the invention include Debaryomyces species such as D. hansenii Geotrichum candidum, Saccharomyces such as S. cerevisiae for example in the form of baker's yeast and S. kefir, Kluyveromyces species such as such as K. maxianus and K. Thermotolerans, Candida valida and Torula kefir. In some cases it may be useful to add as a shear a mixture of any of the above-mentioned species of bacteria, fungi and yeast.

According to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cheese curd is free of live lactic acid bacteria before step (iii). In the present specification, the expression "does not contain live lactic acid bacteria means bacteria that have lost their ability to multiply, but which may still contain active intracellular enzymes and which may influence, for example, the decomposition of proteins and peptides in the cheese milk. According to one useful embodiment of the present invention, the cheese curd is made by adding a lactic acid-producing microorganism starter culture and a milk shearing enzyme to the cheese milk followed by heating the inoculated milk, which causes irreversible thermal inactivation of the starter microorganism. According to one further useful embodiment, the lactic acid bacterium is a microorganism sensitive to, for example, temperature, pH, bactericides such as nisin or salt. As used herein, the term "irreversible inactivation" means the killing or lysis of an organism such that it becomes impossible to return to metabolic activity or reproductive capacity even when the temperature is lowered. It is understood that other methods may be used to create unfavorable conditions for the body, to irreversibly inactivate the body, or to obtain a clot that does not contain live lactic acid bacteria, such as, for example, the use of nisin, high salt concentration or an unfavorable pH or the ripening temperature. According to the invention, the added starter culture of the microorganism is preferably active in the cheese milk for at most 2 hours, preferably at most 1 hour or at most 30 minutes, more preferably at most 10 minutes, or at most 8 minutes, most preferably at most 5 minutes, at most 3 minutes or at most 2 minutes. .

Thus, the starter culture of the microorganism added to the cheese milk remains only in order to use its metabolic activity in a very short time in the cheese making process before the microorganism is inactivated and then rendered dead as mentioned above. This operation is in contrast to traditional cheese making, whereby the starter microbial culture is kept alive substantially until the process is complete.

After successfully killing or lysing the lactic acid bacteria starter culture added to the cheese milk, the lactic acid bacteria starter culture is added to the cheese curd, which determines the type of finished cheese, and this last added lactic acid bacteria starter culture is responsible for all ripening profiles.

According to yet another useful embodiment, the shear agent is a lactic acid bacterium which essentially only produces acids such as lactic acid or citric acid and which essentially does not produce odorants such as acetate, diacetyl, acetoin, acetolactate, acetic aldehyde or butanediol or other aromatic compounds or compounds that can significantly affect the final cheese.

According to one useful embodiment and the above description, the cheese curd is divided into at least two portions before performing step (iii), and then a lactic acid bacterial starter culture is added to each of step (iii) to obtain different types of cheese. By dividing the cheese curd into smaller portions, the cheese industry obtains the possibility of adding a traditional or specific specific lactic acid bacterial starter culture to the individual portions of the curd in the last step of the process in order to obtain different types of cheese or different maturation profiles for the same type of cheese.

PL 206 392 B1

According to a preferred embodiment, the cheese curd is a curd which has essentially no flavor or texture characteristic of the finished cheese and which is referred to herein as the "base curd." As shown in the above description and the examples below, it is possible to make the cheese curd by chemical acidification, bacterial acidification and, optionally, without adding a milk curd. Thus, without the use of a starter culture for the production of the cheese curd in the traditional sense, the resulting curd does not have the flavor and / or texture of the intended cheese. Thus, if a cheese curd is made using a curd, such as an acid, a milk curd, and / or a starter culture of a microorganism that is only kept alive for a very short time and therefore does not substantially affect any specific flavor and texture characteristics in the in the final cheese, the curd obtained, unlike that obtained using a starter culture according to a conventional cheese-making method, essentially does not exhibit the flavor and texture characteristics of the final cheese. This type of curd is also useful when divided into smaller pieces, each of which can be inoculated with a conventional or specific lactic acid bacterial starter culture to obtain different types of cheese or different maturation profiles for the same type of cheese derived from the same cheese curd.

The main advantage of the method according to the invention is that if a cheese curd is obtained without the traditional addition of a starter culture and a milk curd to the cheese milk, the whey drawn from the cheese curd may take up high levels of certain valuable ingredients since the whey ingredients are not degraded in this way. to the same extent by starter culture, milk curdling agent, added proteolytic enzymes and / or other maturation agents as in traditional cheesemaking methods.

According to a preferred embodiment, the cutting agent in step (i) of the process of the invention is added to the cheese milk in combination with at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of a pH-adjusting agent, microorganism, enzyme, colorant, protein, vitamin. , mineral, bacterial nutrient, whey component and dietary fiber. In accordance with one useful embodiment, the microorganism is an organism selected from the group consisting of bacterial species, fungal species, and yeast species.

According to the invention, after the curd has been added to the cheese milk, the conventional steps for producing the cheese curd are performed in step (ii) of the present method. As used herein, the expression "the conventional steps of making the cheese curd" means cutting and mixing the coagulated proteins allowing the separation of the whey. Accordingly, when the coagulum has sufficiently separated, the cheese curd is cut into pieces to facilitate the removal of the whey. When the cheese curd is cut, the pieces are mixed and subjected to heat, usually for 30 to 120 minutes and generally at a temperature in the range of 32 to 60 ° C in order to modify the protein structure, to increase syneresis and to break down some added groups. microbes and undesirable contaminating microbes, and to promote acid formation. The heat treatment is carried out by adding hot water to the curd after it has been cut, usually in small amounts, typically in the range of 20-50% by weight, calculated on the total weight of the cheese milk, or by heating the curd in a jacketed vessel. Optionally, the obtained cheese curd may be compressed before and / or after incorporation of the cheese ripening aid to provide the cheese with a specific shape and texture. In addition, the curd can be obtained by any filtration method, such as ultrafiltration and microfiltration, and concentration methods.

The next step, i.e. step (iii) of the process according to the invention, comprises adding the lactic acid bacterial starter culture to the cheese curd obtained in step (ii). As mentioned above, the main idea of the present invention, unlike conventional cheese making methods, is to use a lactic acid bacteria starter culture at a later stage in the process, i.e. after the cheese curd has been obtained, and to initiate the maturation of the cheese in this stage of the process. Accordingly, the added lactic acid bacterial starter culture acts as a ripening aid or as a cheese conditioning agent and brings the cheese curd or cheese to the pH value, sensory characteristics and textural characteristics associated with the desired cheese or type of cheese. It is understood that a mixture of two or more lactic acid bacterial starter cultures may be added to the cheese curd.

In this specification, the terms addition, introduction and injection are used interchangeably and mean the addition or introduction of a lactic acid bacterial starter culture into the

Of the cheese curd by the methods set out below. By introducing a lactic acid bacterial starter culture into a cheese curd, a mature cheese is obtained if the cheese curd obtained in step (iii) of the present method is kept under ripening conditions. In the present description, the expression cheese curd capable of ripening means a cheese curd that, when placed under appropriate maturation conditions, is capable of undergoing the process of maturation to the specific type of cheese desired. It is understood that the expression "maturation conditions" means those conditions which allow the cheese curd to mature into the final cheese. Ripening temperatures are usually in the range of 2 to 30 ° C. In one useful embodiment, the ripening cheese curd is vacuum wrapped to allow it to mature. Thus, a lactic acid bacterial starter culture is introduced into the cheese curd to obtain the specific characteristics of the cheese obtained.

According to the present invention, a suitable lactic acid bacterial starter culture is one which brings the cheese curd to the desired pH, flavor and / or texture characteristics as mentioned above and which is able to survive and maintain its metabolic activity after it has been introduced into the cheese curd in the cheese curd. step (iii) to an extent that produces the desired ripening effect. A useful starter culture of lactic acid bacterial species is a culture of species selected from the group consisting of Lactococcus species including L. lactis and L. cremoris, Lactobacillus species including L. casei, L. paracasein, L. delbrueckii, L. helveticus and L. acidophilus, Streptococcus species including S. thermophilus and S. faecium, Leuconostoc species including Ln. lactis and Ln. mesenteroides, Micrococcus species, Enterococcus species and Pediococcus species. Other useful bacterial species such as Brevibacterium species including B. casei, Staphylococcus species, Arthrobacter species and Corynebaeterium species can be used.

It is understood that the starter culture of the microorganism introduced into the clot is added under non-normal conditions, such as lowering the pH, and thus may be useful to determine a specific primer culture or derivative of the above-mentioned starter culture that is capable of demonstrating the desired activity under cheese curd conditions. Thus, it is an advantage that such a lactic acid bacterial strain may be selected from the group consisting of a wild-type strain, a mutant strain, a metabolic engineered strain, or a genetically modified strain of any bacterial species used in the cheese industry. As used herein, the expression "genetically modified bacterium is used in accordance with the conventional meaning of the term, that is, it includes strains obtained by subjecting the strain to conventional mutagenesis treatments including treatment with conventional chemical mutagens or spontaneous mutants. Moreover, it is possible to introduce genetically modified lactic acid bacteria obtained by accidental mutagenesis or by selection of spontaneous mutants.

From a contamination point of view, it is important that the introduced starter culture is biologically pure, that is, it should contain only the desired microorganism and / or enzyme and contain no or only small amounts of a few foreign microorganisms as contaminating organisms. Particularly dangerous in dairy products is contamination with undesirable or spoilage bacteria, fungi and bacteriophages, which microorganisms can attack the lactic acid bacteria starter culture, that is, microorganisms that cause the failure of the cheese maturation process.

As mentioned above, the specific selection of strains for the lactic acid bacterial starter culture will depend on the particular cheese envisaged. Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the species of lactic acid bacteria are selected species that are conventionally used for the production of a particular type of cheese or for different types. Such a particular type of cheese may be selected from the group consisting of hard and semi-hard cheeses including, for example, Danbo, Havarti, Cheddar, Edam, Gouda, Muenster, Gruyere Emmental, Parmesan, Romano and Provolone cheeses, processed cheeses including American type and Fondue cheeses, white cheeses including Camembert, Coulommiers and Brie, white cheese, blue cheeses Roquefort and fresh cheeses including Feta cheese, cream cheeses, semi-soft cheeses, soft cheeses of the Neufchatel, Mozzarella and Ricotta types. As used herein, the term "hard and semi-hard cheese" refers to a conventional cheese having a water content of 55% by weight or less.

In a preferred embodiment, the lactic acid bacterial starter culture is added to the cheese curd in combination with at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of a pH adjusting agent, a microorganism, an enzyme, a flavor introducing compound, a flavoring agent, a colorant, and a protein. , vitamin, salt, mineral, bacterial nutrient, whey and dietary fiber. The salt (s) can be selected from alkali metal salts such as NaCl or phosphate salts and alkaline earth metal salts including phosphates, chlorides or carbonates.

In one useful embodiment, the above-mentioned microorganism that may be added in addition to the lactic acid bacterial starter culture is selected from fungal species, yeast species, and bacterial species. Useful fungal cultures include, for example, Penicillium species such as P. roqueforti and P. candidum, Endothia parasitica, Aspergillus species such as A. Niger, and Torelospora species such as T. delbrueckii. Yeast species that may be useful as a cheese ripening agent in the method of the invention include Debaryomyces species such as D. hansenii, Geotrichum candidum, Saccharomyces such as S. cerevisiae, e.g. in the form of baker's yeast, and S. kefir, Kluyveromyces species. such as K. maxianus and K. thermotolerans, Candida valida and Torula kefir. In the method of the invention, the microbial culture introduced into the cheese curd may contain a mixture of any of the above-mentioned bacteria, fungi and yeast.

Useful microorganisms may be wild-type strains that are isolated from their natural environment. However, it may be advantageous to use microbial strains that have been improved by selection, by mutation or by genetic recombination methods known in the art. The species are selected by laboratory screening test methods which simulate the conditions used to make the cheese. A mixture of microbial species is also useful according to the invention.

As mentioned above, typically the enzyme is used in combination with a lactic acid bacterial starter culture added to the cheese curd to improve the effects of ripening. Thus, in preferred embodiments, the enzyme used is an enzyme selected from the group consisting of a peptidase, protease, lipase and a carbohydrate effective amount for the maturation process. As used herein, the expression "ripening effective amount" means the amount of enzyme that is effective to achieve the desired characteristics of the resulting mature cheese when kept under the above ripening conditions.

In addition, plasminogen activators, plasmin, catalysts, or various types of proteolytic compounds may be incorporated into or added to the cheese curd in combination with a lactic acid bacterial starter culture to provide the cheese with the desired pH value and flavor, aroma and texture characteristics.

In a preferred embodiment, the lactic acid bacterial starter culture, used alone or in combination with other agents, comprises a liquid phase. A useful liquid phase of the medium is water, including tap water, distilled water, or deionized water, or can be a medium suitable for suspending a starter culture, such as milk, suspensions of milk solids, whey, or solutions containing mineral salts or other nutrients. The liquid medium may also contain buffering agents and / or microbial nutrients.

The liquid phase is preferably a sterile medium which is obtained by using only sterile ingredients or by treating the medium obtained with such treatment as will kill or remove contaminating microorganisms. This operation includes heating to temperature and maintaining it for a period of time, which will sterilize or near complete sterilization of the medium, and filtration under conditions which remove microorganisms from the medium.

Typically, the lactic acid bacteria starter culture contains the lactic acid bacteria at a concentration of 10 ⁵ to 10 ¹³ cfu per ml. In some preferred embodiments, the starter culture contains at least 10 ⁵ cfu in ml, at least 10 ⁶ cfu in ml, at least 10 ⁷ cfu in ml, at least 10 ⁸ cfu in ml, at least 10 ⁹ cfu in ml, at least 10 ¹⁰ cfu in ml. , at least 10 ¹¹ cfu in ml or at least 10 ¹² cfu in ml. Typically, the starter culture is prepared so that the concentration of the starter microorganism is 10 ⁸ to 10 ¹³ cfu per gram. These concentrations can be obtained as a suspension or paste of freshly grown bacterial cells. However, in industrial production it may be more convenient to prepare a suspension from frozen or freeze-dried microbial concentrates (s) optionally containing one or more freeze protection substances.

A typical volume of lactic acid bacteria starter culture introduced into the cheese curd is in the range of 1 to 200 ml per kilogram of cheese curd. In certain preferred embodiments, the volume of the starter culture according to the method of the invention is at least 2 ml per kg of cheese curd, including at least 3 ml per kg of cheese curd, such as at least 4 ml per kg of cheese curd, for example at least 5 ml per kg of cheese curd. cheese curd,

And comprising at least 8 ml per kg of cheese curd, such as at least 10 ml per kg of cheese curd. However, in further embodiments, the volume of the starter culture used in the method of the present invention is at least 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 130 ml per kg of cheese curd or at least 200 ml per kg of cheese curd. The appropriate volume depends on the type of cheese being produced and the concentration of the lactic acid bacterial starter culture. In general, the volume introduced does not exceed the volume that can be absorbed by the cheese curd without affecting the undesirable moisture content of the resulting cheese or the formation of soft spots therein which can be recognized by the consumer.

Preferably, one or more nutrients may be added to the starter culture to ensure the viability and activity of the microorganisms. According to this context, suitable nutrients may be any commonly used components of the culture media used for a particular microorganism, or liquid media which is a commercial liquid culture medium such as a conventionally used tryptic soy medium containing the desired ingredients. Typically, such nutrients can be selected from the group consisting of yeast extract, peptides, and amino acids; carbon sources from the group consisting of monosaccharides, disaccharides or polysaccharides; and vitamins or vitamin mixtures.

According to the present invention, the lactic acid bacterial starter culture can be introduced, added or transferred to the cheese curd by methods known in the dairy industry or by means of special devices constructed for this purpose. Thus, it is an advantage that the starter culture can be introduced with a simple technology that can be adapted or introduced using existing equipment or production line in a dairy plant. Moreover, the device for introducing the lactic acid bacterial starter culture may be placed in any step of the cheese curd making process and may be part of an automatic process line.

Depending on the texture of the cheese curd, the lactic acid bacterial starter culture may be introduced before or after pressing. If the cheese curd is in the form of lumps, a lactic acid bacterial starter culture is applied to the surface of the lumps of the cheese curd. This may be accomplished by the method of the invention by various techniques such as spraying, centrifuging, tumbling, mixing or by using various types of pumps. For example, spraying involves the agitation of the cheese curd lumps in order to place a lactic acid bacterial starter culture on the surface of the curd lumps. Such a method requires a device to spray the starter culture onto the curd lumps. Typically, the introduction of the lactic acid bacterial starter culture is carried out by any of the aforementioned methods before pressing the curd or immediately after forming the block.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the lactic acid bacterial starter culture is introduced onto the lumps of cheese curd by agitation using, for example, a butter-making machine. In this device, the clot lumps are transferred to the first working section in which the curd is broken up and thus mixed with the solution containing the starter culture. The curd and the lactic acid bacterial starter culture are then separated in another working section of the apparatus. The separating step can be carried out in various ways, such as using a screen which separates the curd lumps from the ripening agent solution and takes the lumps to the next manufacturing step (e.g., cutting and pressing). The flavoring methods can also be used in a continuous butter machine by introducing a lactic acid bacterial starter culture into the homogeneous cheese curd. When introducing the cheese curd and starter culture into the centrifuge, the same method of separating the curd with a sieve may be used, similar to that described above. The centrifuge associated with the butter maker is a decantation centrifuge.

It has been found possible and convenient to introduce a lactic acid bacterial starter culture by means of a needle when the cheese curd contains the proprietary cheese curd substance. As used herein, the term "needle is used conventionally to mean any type of needle, such as bent needles, hypodermic needles, cannulae or syringe needles. It is understood that the shape of the needle depends on the diameter of the cheese curd to be injected. An advantage of using at least one needle for introducing a lactic acid bacterial starter culture into the cheese curd is that it is possible to calculate or quantify the amount of the lactic acid bacterial starter culture introduced and / or absorbed by the cheese curd. Moreover, when introducing the starter culture into the cheese curd, only minimal losses of the starter culture occur during the manufacturing process. Such methods of handling the lactic acid bacterial starter culture can be carried out after the cutting and pressing process of the cheese curd, in the sense of shaping, it can be

This can be performed, for example, in an apparatus for making curd blocks or operating by some other pressing method.

Thus, in one preferred embodiment, a lactic acid bacterial starter culture according to the method of the invention is added to the cheese curd in step (iii) by means of at least one curved needle. The use of the needle and any type of needle in any given device depends on the diameter of the clot being injected. In order to obtain a sufficient distribution of the starter culture in the curd, or to introduce different starter cultures at the same time, it may be useful to introduce the lactic acid bacterial starter culture with a multi-needle device. It has been found suitable to incorporate from 1 to 200 ml per kg of the cheese curd into the cheese curd, whereby this volume is introduced in multiple injections such as with a multi-needle device. In particular, it was found that a volume ranging from 1 to 50 ml of the lactic acid bacterial starter culture per kg of the cheese curd results in an adequate absorption of the starter culture into the cheese curd. In a particular embodiment, the needles have at least one outlet which increases the distribution of the starter culture in the clot.

The invention is described in detail below in the following non-limiting examples.

P r z k ł a d 1

Making cheese using gluconodeltalactone (GDL) and a milk thinner (chymosin) to make a cheese curd

The example illustrates the preparation of a cheese curd by lowering the pH using gluconodeltalactone (GDL) and chymosin as a milk curd. In this method, the cheese curd is cut and mixed to remove the whey from the cheese curd. The cheese is then pressed and a conditioning solution containing at least one proteolytic enzyme and / or at least one lactic acid bacterial starter culture is injected into the cheese curd to initiate the development of the desired pH, flavor, aroma and texture.

The process includes the steps shown in the diagram below:

Taking milk i

₁ pasteurization / standardization ¹ i

₂

Bringing the starting temperature of the cheese milk ^{i 2} i

₃

Acidification of the cheese milk ³ i

Rennet ⁴ i

₅

Cutting and mixing ⁵ i

Partial removal of whey ⁶ i

Mixing ⁷ i

Add scalding water ⁸ i

Whey removal / water ⁹ i

Forming the cheese curd ¹⁰ i

Ironing ¹¹ i

Injecting ¹² i

Ironing ¹³ i

Packing under reduced pressure ¹⁴ i

Storage / Maturation ¹⁵

PL 206 392 B1

Before cheese-making is started, the cheese container and all equipment used to make the cheese are disinfected with hypochlorite. The cheese milk is enriched with 15 grams of potassium nitrate (KNO3) per 100 liters of cheese milk to prevent the growth of undesirable microorganisms.

In this example, seven different conditioning solutions with the following composition are used by introducing them into the cheese curd:

1. Pure water (control)

2. Traditional Cheddar starter culture (Chr. Hansen A / S, H0rsholm, Denmark)

Chr. Hansen R-604, cell concentration = 3 * 10 ⁹ CFU / g cheese

3. Chr. Hansen A / S specified conditioning mixture of Chr. Hansen CR210, cell concentration = 1 * 10 ¹¹ cfu / g of Chr. Hansen LHB-02 cheese, cell concentration = 5 * 10 ¹⁰ cfu / g of Chr. Hansen Brevibacterium casei cheese , cell concentration = 5 * 10 ¹⁰ cfu / g cheese.

4. Proteolytic enzyme mg of proteolytic enzyme

The enzyme was a serine protease from Novo Nordisk A / S, Bagsvaerd, Denmark.

5. Traditional Cheddar culture and Chr. Hansen A / S conditioning blend specified above (1: 1).

6. Traditional Cheddar culture and proteolytic enzyme (1: 1)

7. A mixture of traditional Cheddar culture and the above-mentioned Chr. Hansen A / S conditioning mixture (1: 1).

The cell solution is mixed in a single-pass homogenizer.

8. A mixture of traditional Cheddar culture, the above-mentioned Chr. Hansen A / S conditioning mixture and a proteolytic enzyme (1: 1: 1).

The cell solution is mixed in a single-pass homogenizer.

The diagram above shows the different steps in cheese making using GDL and chymosin to make the cheese curd and then add the conditioning solution. The production is discussed sequentially according to the step numbers in the diagram below.

¹ Cheese milk is low-pasteurized, non-homogenized whole milk, and the cream used for standardization is high-pasteurized, non-homogenized (SM) cream with a fat content of 38%.

² The inlet temperature was 30-31 ° C and the agitator motor was set to very slow speed.

³ 850 grams of GDL per 100 liters of cheese milk were added to lower the pH to a value of about 5.0-5.1. Stirring was continued at idle speed.

⁴ To coagulate the cheese milk, 30 ml of chymosin was added per 100 liters of cheese milk. The mixture was stirred for one minute and then the agitator was removed so that the milk could hold and turn into a gel / coagulum. This process took about 5 minutes.

⁵ The gel releases the whey by syneresis, which is accelerated by cutting the coagulum into cheese cubes (1x1x1 cm). Increasing the agitation speed also facilitates syneresis, in the first 5 minutes mixing at twice the speed and in the next ten minutes at four times the speed.

^{6 The} agitator is stopped and the mixture of whey and cheese curd cubes is allowed to separate and the whey separation begins. 30 liters of whey is separated (corresponding to one third of the cheese milk).

⁷ High speed mixing is resumed for the next ten minutes. During this time, the mixture of whey and cheese cubes is heated by passing hot water through the heating mantle of the cheese container. The temperature of the mixture is brought to about 38 ° C.

⁸ Stirring is continued at the same speed mentioned above for twenty minutes. 60 liters of scalding water at 44-46 ° C are added via a nozzle at a flow rate of 10 liters / minute (corresponding to two-thirds of the total volume of cheese milk).

⁹ The cheese coagulum is allowed to settle down and the whey is separated. All the water and whey are separated and the cheese curd is placed on a perforated filter.

¹⁰ The cheese curd is wrapped in a cheese cloth and placed in a band. Each container contains 400-500 g of cheese. The band and the cover are made of stainless steel.

¹¹ Cheese curd pressed for five minutes under pressure of 0.2 MPa. Each cheese is then removed from its container and unwound. It is then re-wrapped gently and placed upside down in the molding container.

GB 206 392 B1 ¹² On top of each cheese a plastic disc is placed centrally with respect to the center the cheese, injection of the conditioning solution is carried out by letting a needle through the plastic disc, the cloth and the cheese curd. The needle length was about 4 cm and the height of each cheese was about 8 cm, assumed that all 4 ml of the conditioning solution was injected into the center of the cheese. The above-mentioned seven conditioning solutions were used and three cheeses were injected with the same solution to start the ripening.

¹³ plastic discs were removed and the lid placed on each bandshaped container. The cheese was placed under the press and pressed for 20 minutes at a pressure of 0.6 MPa.

¹⁴ After pressing, each cheese was placed in the plastic bag under reduced pressure to a total of 4 g of sodium chloride (corresponding to 8-10 g NaCl 1 kg of cheese). The cheeses were then packed using full vacuum (98-100%) and heat-sealed and subjected to further maturation.

^The cheeses were stored for two weeks at 16 ° C and then at 9 ° C in a warehouse for further maturation. The cheeses were analyzed after 3 weeks of ripening.

After storage, the cheeses were subjected to chemical analysis, for example, the pH of the cheeses was measured and the content of fat, water, NaCl, total nitrogen (NT), soluble nitrogen at pH 4.4 (SN) was carried out.

Results

The cheese making process was simple and uncomplicated. The cheese curd was easy to process and the cheese produced was comparable to traditional semi-hard cheese. The texture was rubbery and elastic also after 3 weeks of maturation. The conditioning solution was operated at a low pH (5.2). Due to the artificial, chemical acidification, the taste has been slightly emphasized.

T a b e l a 1.1:

Characteristics of the cheese after 3 weeks of maturation

Variables (measurable) Conditioning solution No. 2 No. 3 No. 4 No. 5 No. 6 No. 7 No. 8 PH 5.09 5.14 5.28 5.12 5.01 5.14 5.24 % water = 42.7 = 42.7 = 42.7 = 42.7 = 42.7 = 42.7 = 42.7 % salt = 2.0 = 2.0 = 2.0 = 2.0 = 2.0 = 2.0 = 2.0 % salt in water = 4.25 = 4.25 = 4.25 = 4.25 = 4.25 = 4.25 = 4.25 % fat = 31.0 = 31.0 = 31.0 = 31.0 = 31.0 = 31.0 = 31.0 % dry weight = 57.3 = 57.3 = 57.3 = 57.3 = 57.3 = 57.3 = 57.3 % fat on dry matter = 54.1 = 54.1 = 54.1 = 54.1 = 54.1 = 54.1 = 54.1 % water in non-fat substance = 61.9 = 61.9 = 61.9 = 61.9 = 61.9 = 61.9 = 61.9 % Of Total Nitrogen = 27.0 = 27.0 = 27.0 = 27.0 = 27.0 = 27.0 = 27.0 % pH 4.6 SN / TN 27.0 28.9 45.5 28.5 46.4 28.0 41.1

According to the results obtained,% pH 4.6 SN / TN, which is the degree of casein hydrolysis, it can be concluded that the control of the development of the cheese characteristics such as taste, aroma, aroma and texture fails when solutions containing proteolytic enzymes are added to the cheese curd. The% pH 4.6 SN / TN values for cheese containing proteolytic enzymes refer to cheese more than 7 months old. These results indicate the necessity to apply a lactic acid bacterial starter culture to the conditioning solution to impart specific characteristics to the cheese. Moreover, the results show that it is possible to initiate the maturation at this stage of the process and develop it appropriately to impart the desired characteristics to the cheese.

The use of a mixture of specific conditioning solutions manufactured by the company Chr. Hansen A / S to accelerate the maturation of the cheese, initiated by the starter culture and the milk curdling agent added to the cheese milk, under these conditions does not cause any additional disturbing effect on the development of cheese characteristics compared to traditional cheese cheddar. This indicates difficulties in selecting the culture composition because the conditions of the cheese curd are much more varied than that of the cheese milk. Components are not supplied with one hundred14

These are used to select a strain of starter microbial culture that can perform properly / optimally under these conditions.

P r z k ł a d 2

Making cheese using gluconodeltalactone (GDL) and lactic acid to make a cheese curd

The example illustrates the production of a cheese curd by lowering the pH using lactic acid and gluconodeltalactone (GDL). According to this method, the cheese curd is mixed very vigorously to obtain heterogeneous cheese curd cubes, after which the cheese curd is separated. The cheese is then pressed and a conditioning solution is injected into the cheese to develop the desired pH, flavor, aroma, aroma and texture.

This process includes the steps of making cheese using the acidification step above, which are shown in the diagram below:

Milk intake ₁ pasteurization / standardization ¹ ₂

Bringing the starting temperature of the cheese milk ² 3

Cheese milk acidification ³ Mixing ⁴ ₅

Partial removal of whey Mixing ⁶

Add scalding water ⁷

Whey removal / water ⁸

Forming the cheese curd ⁹ 10

Ironing ¹⁰

Injecting ¹¹

Ironing ¹²

Vacuum packing ¹³

Storage / Maturation ¹⁴

Before cheese-making begins, the cheese container and all production equipment are disinfected with hypochlorite, similar to Example 1. The milk is fortified with 15 grams of potassium nitrate (KNO3) per 100 liters of cheese milk.

This example uses the same seven conditioning solutions as shown in example 1.

The diagram above shows the different steps in cheese making using GDL and lactic acid to make the cheese curd. The production is discussed sequentially according to the step numbers in the diagram below.

^{1 The} cheese milk is a low-pasteurized, non-homogenized whole milk, and the cream used for standardization is a high-pasteurized, non-homogenized (SM) cream with a fat content of 38%.

² The inlet temperature was 30-31 ° C and the agitator motor was set to very slow speed.

₃ ³ 2850 grams of GDL and 130 ml of lactic acid per 100 liters of cheese milk were added to lower the pH to a value of about 4.5-4.6. Stirring was continued at idle until a pH of 4.9 was obtained for about 4 hours.

GB 206 392 B1's worth of ⁴ At pH 4.7 the stirring was speeded up in zł breaking koagulum cheese and form a heterogeneous cubes (if the stirring was stopped at pH 4.9 the milk Cheese should go koagulum having a pH of 4,7-4, 6 and it will be necessary to cut to obtain cheese cubes). Stirring was continued at high speed for 15 minutes.

^The agitator is stopped and the mixture of whey and the cubes of the cheese curd is allowed to separate and the separation of the whey begins. 30 liters of whey is separated (corresponding to one third of the cheese milk).

⁶ Mixing is restarted at moderate speed for the next ten minutes. During this time, the mixture of whey and cheese cubes is heated by passing hot water through the heating mantle of the cheese container. The temperature of the mixture is brought to about 38 ° C.

⁷ The mixing is continued at the same rate as mentioned above during twenty minutes. 60 liters of scalding water at 44-46 ° C are added via a nozzle at a flow rate of 10 liters / minute (corresponding to two-thirds of the total volume of cheese milk).

⁸ The cheese curd is allowed to settle down and the whey is separated. All the water and whey are separated and the cheese curd is placed on a perforated filter.

⁹ The cheese curd is wrapped in a cheese cloth and placed in a band. Each container contains 400-500 g of cheese. The band and the cover are made of stainless steel.

^The cheese is pressed for five minutes at a pressure of 0.2 MPa. Each cheese is then removed from its container and unwound. It is then re-wrapped gently and placed upside down in the molding container.

¹¹ Injection of the conditioning solution is carried out by inserting a needle through a cloth into the cheese curd. The needle length was about 4 cm and the height of each cheese was about 8 cm, it was assumed that all 4 ml of the conditioning solution was injected into the center of the cheese. The above-mentioned seven conditioning solutions were used and three cheeses were injected with the same solution to start the ripening.

¹² plastic discs were removed and the lid placed on each bandshaped container. The cheese was placed under the press and pressed for 20 minutes at a pressure of 0.6 MPa.

¹³ After pressing, each cheese was placed in the plastic bag under reduced pressure, together with 4 gram of sodium chloride (corresponding to 8-10 g NaCl 1 kg of cheese). The cheeses were then packed using full vacuum (98-100%) and heat-sealed and subjected to further maturation.

^The cheeses were stored for two weeks at 16 ° C and then at 9 ° C in a warehouse for further maturation. The cheeses were analyzed after 3 weeks of ripening.

After storage, the cheeses were subjected to chemical analysis, for example, the pH of the cheeses was measured and the content of fat, water, NaCl, total nitrogen (NT), and soluble nitrogen at pH 4.4 (SN) was carried out.

Results

The cheese making process was simple and uncomplicated. The cheese curd was difficult to cut and therefore mixing was beneficial to facilitate syneresis (a consequence of this and the lowered pH was less lumps and cream leakage into the whey). The cheese resembled a Feta type cheese or a cheese curd for a country cheese. Due to the artificial, chemical acidification, the taste was slightly emphasized.

T a b e l a 2.1:

Characteristics of the cheese after 3 weeks of maturation

Variables (measurable) Conditioning solution No. 2 No. 3 No. 4 No. 5 No. 6 No. 7 No. 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 PH 4.45 4.36 4.36 4.39 4.44 4.38 4.39 % water = 54.0 = 54.0 = 54.0 = 54.0 = 54.0 = 54.0 = 54.0 % salt = 2.5 = 2.5 = 2.5 = 2.5 = 2.5 = 2.5 = 2.5 % salt in water = 4.6 = 4.6 = 4.6 = 4.6 = 4.6 = 4.6 = 4.6 % fat = 20.0 = 20.0 = 20.0 = 20.0 = 20.0 = 20.0 = 20.0

PL 206 392 B1 cont. table 2.1

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 % dry weight = 46.0 = 46.0 = 46.0 = 46.0 = 46.0 = 46.0 = 46.0 % fat on dry matter = 43.5 = 43.5 = 43.5 = 43.5 = 43.5 = 43.5 = 43.5 % water in non-fat substance = 67.7 = 67.7 = 67.7 = 67.7 = 67.7 = 67.7 = 67.7 % Total Nitrogen (TN) = 21.8 = 21.8 = 21.8 = 21.8 = 21.8 = 21.8 = 21.8 % pH 4.6 SN / TN 7.1 5.8 40.4 14.4 36.6 11.6 41.2

The results obtained in this example illustrate the possibility of making a cheese curd using gluconodeltalactone (GDL) and lactic acid to lower the pH but without the use of a milk curd.

Thus, once the cheese curd is obtained, it can be inoculated with various conditioning solutions leading to the desired cheese.

In the same manner as described in Example 1, and according to the obtained results of% pH 4.6 SN / TN, it can be concluded that the control of the development of the characteristics of the cheese fails when solutions containing proteolytic enzymes are added to the cheese curd. Likewise, such results indicate the necessity of applying a lactic acid bacterial starter culture to the conditioning solution.

The use of a mixture of specific conditioning solutions manufactured by Chr. Hansen A / S to accelerate the maturation of the cheese, initiated by the starter culture added to the cheese milk, has only a slight deterioration in terms of the development of cheese characteristics compared to traditional cheddar cheese, however this is not as dramatic as the activity of the proteolytic enzyme (= 40%) observed for% pH 4.6 SN / TN. In Example 1, the cheese shear is responsible for some development of the% pH 4.6 SN / TN value.

The lower casein hydrolysis in this example compared to the hydrolysis in example 1 may be due to the different pH values used in example 1 and example 2.

Claims (14)

Patent claims 1. Method for producing a hard, semi-hard or semi-soft cheese, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: (i) adding the curd to the cheese milk and leaving the curd in the cheese milk for a maximum of 2 hours, preferably a maximum of 1 hour or at most 30 minutes, more preferably a maximum of 10 minutes or a maximum of 8 minutes, most preferably a maximum of 5 minutes, a maximum of 3 minutes or at most 2 minutes, (ii) carrying out the conventional steps of producing a cheese curd, involving the extraction of whey to form a cheese curd, (iii) adding a lactic acid bacterial starter culture to the cheese curd obtained in step (ii), obtaining a cheese with specific properties, including its specific properties palatability, and keeping the cheese curd obtained in step (iii) under aging conditions to obtain cheese. 2. The method according to p. The process of claim 1, wherein the shear agent is selected from the group consisting of an enzyme, a microorganism, and an acid. 3. The method according to p. The method of claim 2, wherein the microorganism is selected from the group consisting of bacterial species, fungal species and yeast species. 4. The method according to p. The method of claim 3, wherein the bacterial species are lactic acid bacterial species including Lactococcus species, Lactobacillus species, Bifidobacterium species, Streptococcus species, Leuconostoc species, Micrococus species, Enterococcus species and Pediococcus species. 5. The method according to p. The method of claim 1, characterized in that the cutting agent in step (i) is added to the cheese milk in combination with at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of a pH adjusting agent, a microorganism, an enzyme, a coloring agent, a protein, a vitamin, a mineral, a bacterial medium, ingredient of whey and dietary fiber. 6. The method according to p. The method of claim 5, wherein the microorganism is selected from the group consisting of bacterial species, fungal species and yeast species. PL 206 392 B1 7. The method according to p. The method of claim 1, wherein the lactic acid bacterial starter culture added to the cheese curd in step (iii) comprises lactic acid bacterial species including Lactococcus species, Lactobacillus species, Streptococcus species, Leuconostoc species, Micrococcus species, Enterococcus species and Pediococcus species. 8. The method according to p. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that the species of lactic acid bacteria are species conventionally used for the production of a particular type of cheese. 9. The method according to p. The method of claim 1, wherein the lactic acid bacterial starter culture in step (iii) is added to the cheese curd in combination with at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of a pH adjusting agent, a microorganism, an enzyme, a flavoring agent, a flavoring agent, a coloring agent, a protein. , vitamin, salt, mineral, bacterial nutrient, whey and dietary fiber. 10. The method according to p. The method of claim 9, wherein the microorganism is selected from the group consisting of bacterial species, fungal species and yeast species. 11. The method according to p. The process of claim 9, wherein the enzyme is selected from the group consisting of peptidase, protease and lipase. 12. The method according to p. The process of claim 1, wherein the lactic acid bacterial starter culture is added in step (iii) to the cheese curd by means of at least one nozzle needle. 13. The method according to p. The process of claim 1, wherein the cheese curd is divided into at least two portions prior to step (iii), to which a lactic acid bacterial starter culture is added in step (iii) to obtain different types of cheese. 14. The method according to p. The method of claim 1, characterized in that the lactic acid bacterial starter culture added in step (iii) is free of Bifidobacterium species.