Biochemical and microbiological changes during ripening of cheddar cheese from buffalo milk supplemented with goat milk and microencapsulated enzymes

Abstract

Effect of addition of goat milk (GM) and microencapsulated enzymes (ME) on biochemical and microbiological changes in buffalo milk cheddar cheese (BMCC) during ripening period of 8 months was investigated. Addition of GM had definite improvement in glycolysis (1.37-1.39% LA), proteolysis (8.9-11.2% soluble protein) and lipolysis (16.0-43.2 mu.eq FFA/g) of cheddar cheese as compared to the respective values of 1.20% LA, 8.3% soluble protein, and 12.2 mu.eq FFA/g of control cheese, while ME had positive impact on proteolysis (10.8% soluble protein) and lipolysis (36.8 mu.eq FFA/g). The proteolysis could be advanced by 2 months through addition of GM or ME while lipolysis could be advanced by 2-4 months. Addition of both GM and ME had synergistic effect on the proteolysis and lipolysis during ripening. GM had definite stimulatory effect on the growth of starter culture (9.0 log cfu/g) and lactobacilli (6.6-6.8 log cfu/g) in BMCC. The samples containing ME showed higher total viable count (8.9 log cfu/g) and lactobacilli count (6.9 log cfu/g) throughout the ripening period. Yeast and mold count and spore count were unaffected by addition of GM or ME or both and did not follow any distinct growth pattern during ripening. Coliform count, on the other hand, decreased with the progress of storage in all the samples. Depending on the availability, addition of GM or ME or both is recommended to accelerate the biochemical and microbiological changes during ripening of BMCC.