Development of carbon dioxide during ripening of acid curd cheese
Experimental unit for acid curd cheese ripening
Acid curd cheeses are made from pasteurised skim milk via the intermediate product of low-fat acid quarg, produced by the action of thermophilic lactic acid bacteria. Prior to ripening, the quarg is mixed with ripening salts such as sodiumhydrogencarbonate or calciumcarbonate. These salts react with lactic acid under the formation of carbon dioxide, leading to an increase of the pH and, therefore, providing better growth conditions for the surface ripening flora. After smearing, the moulded cheeses are subjected to special ripening regimes, where the formation of carbon dioxide is responsible for the appropriate structure of the cheese curd to allow easy distribution of oxygen for fast and uniform ripening.
However, there are some indications that carbon dioxide may reach high levels in the ripening chambers. The maximum allowable concentration is 0.5 % (V/V), and the workplace concentration level of carbon dioxide in the air during one shift is allowed to reach values of 2.0 % (V/V) for a maximum of four-times and 15 minutes each.
Currently, little information on the actual amount of carbon dioxide generated during ripening of acid curd cheeses is evident in the literature. The aim of the project is to learn more about the complex mechanisms of the formation of carbon dioxide. For that purpose pilot plant productions are carried out with cheeses of specified composition and under exaxtly defined conditions. Determination of the carbon dioxide level during the entire ripening period shall give information about the influence of kind and amount of ripening salts, applied starter cultures and conditions of ripening. Additional information will be collected by determination of compositional and quality parameters of the cheeses during ripening and storage.
Project researchers and contact:
© Surber
PD Dr.nat.techn. et Ing.habil Doris Jaros
Product technologies: Milk; Biomacromolecules
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© Tobias Ritz
Senior Professor Dipl.-Ing. Dr. nat. techn. habil. Harald Rohm
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