Journal of Dairy Research

Table of Contents - 2004 - Volume 71, Issue 01  


Texture, proteolysis and viable lactic acid bacteria in commercial Cheddar cheeses treated with high pressure

Cheryl Wick a1, Uwe Nienaber a1p1, Olga Anggraeni a1, Thomas H Shellhammer a1p2 and Polly D Courtney a1c1
a1 Ohio State University, Department of Food Science & Technology, Parker Food Science & Technology Building, 2015 Fyffe Court, Columbus, OH 43210, USA

Article author query
wick c   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
nienaber u   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
anggraeni o   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
shellhammer t   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 
courtney p   [PubMed][Google Scholar] 

Abstract

High pressure processing was investigated for controlling Cheddar cheese ripening. One-month- or 4-month-old Cheddar cheeses were subjected to pressures ranging from 200 to 800 MPa for 5 min at 25 °C. The number of viable Lactococcus lactis (starter) and Lactobacillus (nonstarter) cells decreased as pressure increased. Subsequent storage of the control and pressure-treated cheeses at 10 °C caused viable cell counts to change in some cases. Free amino acid content was monitored as an indicator of proteolysis. Cheeses treated with pressures [gt-or-equal, slanted]400 MPa evolved free amino acids at significantly lower rates than the control. No acceleration in free amino acid development was observed at lower pressures. Pressure treatment did not accelerate the rate of textural breakdown compared with the non-pressure treated control. On the contrary, pressure treatment at 800 MPa reduced the time-dependent texture changes. Results indicate that high pressure may be useful in arresting Cheddar cheese ripening.

(Received September 16 2002)
(Accepted April 10 2003)


Key Words: High pressure processing; cheese ripening; Cheddar cheese; Lactococcus; Lactobacillus.

Correspondence:
c1 e-mail: courtney.25@osu.edu
p1 Current addresses: Kraft Foods, 801 Waukegan Road, Glenview, IL 60025, USA
p2 Department of Food Science and Technology, Oregon State University, 100 Wiegand Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA