STUDIES ON SOFT CHEESE

Abstract

The aim of this study was to use some stabilizers to improve the yield and properties of Domiati cheese. This is in addition to the use of some LAB for enhancing the keeping quality and organoleptic properties of low salt Domiati cheese. The obtained results can be summarized as follows :- Part 1- Effect of using some stabilizers on the yield, properties and ripening of Domiati cheese: Domiati cheese treated with Lacta-810 at 0.25% scored higher yield and minimum loss of weight during storage at room temperature, while Lacta-815 at 0.25% gave minimum loss of weight at refrigerator temperature. The moisture content of all treated cheese increased as compared with the control when fresh and during storage and this was higher at refrigerator than at room temperature. The fat and T.N increased and the salt content decreased with a decrease in moisture content. The T.A, S.N, T.V.F.A increased with extended pickling in all cheese samples but treated cheese had higher than that of control and the rate of increase was higher at room than at refrigerator temperature. It was found that small differences were observed in numbers of T.B.C, proteolytic and lipolytic bacteria of cheese samples either when fresh or during pickling. Cheese treated with 0.2 and 0.25% of Lacta-810 or Lacta-815 had highest scores at both temperatures throughout pickling. . • Part II- Effect of some lactic acid bacteria on the properties of low salt Dominti cheese : Addition of starter cultures reduced the coagulation time and decreased the yield and moisture content of fresh cheese and they were clearly noticed in the cheese treated with 3% salt than 5%. The fat, T.N and salt contents had an opposite relationship with moisture content. They all decreased at the first 15 days of pickling and slightly increased thereafterThe T.A, S.N and T.V.F.A were higher in treated cheese than the control at both salt levels. The total bacterial count, lactic acid bacteria and proteolytic bacteria in all cheese treatments were. higher than the control, while the coliform, M&Y, sporeformers and staphylococCi in all cheese treatments were lower than the control at both levels of salt when fresh and during pickling. Low salt Domiati cheese (3% salt) made by the mixed culture of mesophilic lactococci and L. casei (T8) had higher scores and the best keeping quality than control