Effects of different processing methods on some macro-minerals in West African soft unripened cheese

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different processing methods on some macro-minerals in West African soft unripened cheese. Milk was processed by blending with high speed mixer for five (5) minutes followed by pasteurization of the blended milk (Blended Pasteurized Milk: BPM). Milk was also fortified with 6 % skimmed milk powder (31.50g skimmed milk in 500ml milk) followed by the pasteurization of fortified milk (Fortified Pasteurized Milk: FPM). Raw milk served as the control. Fresh cheese was coagulated from 500ml milk using 3.75 ml (0.75 % v/v) Calotropis procera medium sized (8 x 15 cm) leaf extract as milk coagulant. Each treatment was replicated four (4) times. Range 0.16 – 0.24 % Ca was obtained. The Ca content of fortified pasteurized milk cheese for the cheeses produced was similar to the control. Fortified pasteurized milk cheese contained significantly higher Na and Cl than raw milk cheese. However, Na and Cl values obtained for FPM cheese and BPM cheese were similar being 0.08 and 0.05, 0.06 and 0.04 % Na and Cl respectively. Milk processing method had little (P > 0.05) effect on the K and Mg content of cheese. It was concluded that raw milk should be used in producing West African soft unripened cheese because milk fortification with blended milk and blending with pasteurization of milk significantly increased the Na content of cheese and this may pose some health risks.Keywords: Blended Pasteurized Milk, Fortified Pasteurized Milk, Raw Milk, Cheese, health risks