Chemical, microbiological, sensory, and rheological properties of fresh goat milk cheese made by different starter cultures during storage

Abstract

AbstractFresh soft goat milk cheese was manufactured by two different starter cultures, a mixture consisting of mesophilic and thermophilic microorganisms, that is, Lactococcus Lactis subsp.cremoris, Lactococcus Lactis subsp. lactis and Streptococcus thermophilus (cheese A) and a mesophilic one containing Lactococcus Lactis subsp. cremoris and Lactococcus Lactis subsp. lactis(cheese B). The cheesemaking technology included milk pasteurization, starter culture incubation, milk clotting by liquid rennet and salting in brine containing 15% w/w NaCl. The cheeses were matured for 5 days at 16–17°C and then were packaged in shrink polyethylene bags under vacuum and transferred to cold room (3–4°C) for storage. The composition, microbiological, organoleptic and rheological properties of cheeses were investigated. Cheese microbiota was dominated by mesophilic lactobacilli and cocci. Yeasts and molds were found at the end of storage (60‐day) resulting in the gradual spoilage of cheeses. All cheeses received low scores for hardness while they were very much appreciated for their organoleptic properties. Cheese A presented lower levels of total volatile compounds at 5 days but higher at 60 days than cheese B.Practical ApplicationsIt is widely known that goat milk has high nutritional properties. In Greece, goat milk is usually added in sheep milk in order to produce protected designation of origin and other traditional cheeses. Greek goat milk cheeses are usually white—brined or hard cheeses and they are produced in small scale. The aim of the present study was to investigate the cheesemaking technology of fresh soft goat milk cheese and evaluate the influence of using different cultures on the chemical, microbiological, sensory and rheological properties of this cheese. The results have shown that a good quality fresh goat cheese can be manufactured with shelf life up to 60 days and mesophilic or mixed thermophilic–mesophilic cultures can be used.