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Cheese storage & ripening
by Egon Skovmose on Friday, July 18, 2003
CHEESE STORAGE AND RIPENING:
All cheeses with the exception of fresh cheeses must go through a storing period. It is necessary for the enzymatic processes, which determines the cheeses ripening for flavour and texture.
STORAGE TREATMENT OF NORMAL SEMI-HARD CHEESE:
1.1 Curing Room:
The curing room temperatures will depend on the quality of milk, the cheese technology used and the length of the ripening time. If we want to induce ripening, the temperature in the ripening room is increased. If we want to slow down ripening, the temperature can be lowered. The temperature chosen depends on milk quality, acidification technique, cheese moisture, final cooking temperature, etc.
Air humidity is a consideration as well. When we choose a treatment with smearing, it is best to get the smear developed fast and in an even layer over the whole cheese, where possible. If the cheese is manufactured with high moisture content, the humidity in the storage area can be a little lower, then if the cheese is made with lower moisture content. For moist cheese, which goes to storage, air humidity of 86-90% should be sufficient; for a more dry cheese it will be necessary to keep air humidity at 90-92%.
1.1.1 Storage Climate:
In order to have adequate smear formation, we must, have a good cheese, storage with climate. A good storage climate must be a static condition, which is easily maintained.
Air circulation units should come on only 1-2 minutes every hour.
Cooling under the ceiling is a good solution but it has a big disadvantage, in that a humid storage nearly always will drip condensation, so that we can not put cheese on the upper shelf.
Cooling units should be placed alongside the outer wall to minimize condensation. The heating source can possibly be placed on the wall as common radiator, but also an electric radiator on the walls near the ceiling seems to function satisfactorily.
Installation of a too big a radiator also has drawbacks, namely that with such a big mass, it gives a lot of "after heat" off. The radiator should therefore best be connected to a shunt system, which only gives small corrections in temperature, or with electric radiators, which give nearly no afterheat.
A big storage, which is always filled with cheese, the humidity by itself, will be enough. If this is not the case, steam generators, can be used to keep humidity at an adequate level. There are also steam pipe systems, heating water to steam, regulated through copper pipes into the storage area. In storage with high humidity, the air circulation should, be moderate and large horizontal rotating fans would be sufficient. They should though, rotate very slowly and should be connected to a time clock, so that they only run once in a while.
In a dryer storage, a dehumidifier may be required. One can now get a system, which draws air through a filter material; absorbs the water and continuously dries by a flow of heated air.
In this system, the air is dehumidified without being cooled and it has the advantage, of being less influenced than by dehumidifying through cooling.
1.2. The Cheese's Surface Treatment:
When the cheese is treated with smear, (
http://www.danlac.com/store/index.asp?category=1&product_id=219)
the smear formation should happen as fast as possible and the cheese should therefore be placed in a very humid storage the first 8-14 days. Here it would be an advantage to have moveable racks, (
http://www.danlac.com/store/index.asp?category=2&product_id=343)
so the cheese can be moved into a little drier storage as soon as the smear is sufficiently developed and also before the cheese become too greasy.
Moisture and smear treatment not only affect the taste, but also consistency. Even if the smear treatment requires quite a bit of labor we will get a finished product in the end which has a better consistency and taste than that of a rind less cheese.
If a new production is started, it may be useful to inoculate with a red smear culture. However, one must constantly use one or another smear in the beginning so that mould growth is kept to a minimum.
If the cheese stays under too humid storage conditions and is too soft, it can often happen that the rind after some weeks becomes wrinkled. The cheese may get soft spots or soft corners and should therefore, as soon as the smear is developed sufficiently, be moved to a dryer storage.
If, however, it is too dry initially the result maybe moldy cheese.
1.3. The Cheese Turning:
The purpose of turning the cheese under storage is to get the right moisture distribution. If the cheese sits with the same side down too long a time, the moisture in the cheese will move downwards. On the side which turns toward the shelve; the cheese rind will be dissolved because no evaporation of moisture happens. The cheese will also become sourer on the moist side, because the whey, which moves down in the cheese, contains large amounts of acid. The side of the cheese which turns upward will on the other hand contain too little acid, and the rind may become too dry and horned. The question is, therefore, should the cheese be turned every day. This will only be necessary in cases, where the storage is so humid, that cheese completely "floats" in moisture. Cheese quality and rind, should always take precedence over considerations of labor costs. With very soft cheese, one can easily go with turning three times weekly, the first 14 days and after that, turning two times weekly. When the cheese is 7-8 weeks and storing temperature is down to 10-12° C ( 50 – 54 F), then the cheese needs turning only once a week.
1.4. Ripening Room:
When most cheeses have reached an age of 2-3 weeks, they will normally be so far ahead in their development, that it would be proper to lower the storage temperature. The easiest is to leave the cheese in the same room and then just lower the temperature and humidity. If space is not present, the cheeses are moved to ripening rooms.
Ripening room temperature, humidity and ventilation depends on how long time we want to have the cheese. If the cheese will stay 1-2 weeks, we can have a relatively dry room - approximately 85% humidity and a temperature not over 12°C. If we want the cheese longer with lowering of the temperature and humidity, one must consider cheese "loss" and rind formation.
Smearing is not necessary, when cheeses are taken out in 1-2 weeks. Smearing may be required approximately one time every 2 weeks, if storing longer in ripening room.
1.5. Cooling Room:
Considering the cost(s) involved it may be appropriate to store the cheese longer in the cooling room. The cheese should as much as possible be ripened and finished without risk for after-fermentation. Never store cheese in the cooler before its 8 weeks old. The cheese is cleaned, paraffin waxed and transported immediately to the cooling room. During the first 24 hours, the cheese shall lay singly on shelves. After 24 hours, it has reached such stability that it can take stacking 3-4 on top of each other, and they can stay without being touched, until taken out of cold storage.
Cooling room air temperature should be kept a 2-4°C and air dry. Defrosting of cooling units should be done in such a way that ice and water do not run onto the floor.
2. STORAGE TREATMENT OF SOFT CHEESES:
2.1 Fermentation Room:
With the softer cheese (Havarti, Esrom) storage depends completely on the manufacturing technique followed. Fermentation room temperature varies from plant to plant. For Havarti it varies from 12-22°C
http://www.danlac.com/store/index.asp?category=6&product_id=174and for Esrom from 15-23°C.
http://www.danlac.com/store/index.asp?category=6&product_id=227 (similar to Esrom)
It is a rule that the softer cheese shall have higher humidity, as we want to produce a tougher layer of smear, which can help with cheese ripening. This smear layer can, be promoted without addition of fresh smear former. Air humidity should be 95% with no appreciable air circulation. The possibility to circulate the air in fermentation storage room should be such that it could be regulated to slow down the smear growth on the cheese, if it has gone wild. A red smear culture, will usually give the best results. The cheese during the first 8 days should have approximately 100% humidity, and then move it to storage with a humidity of 90-92%. As a rule the time for fermentation storage for Havarti is 3 weeks and for Esrom two weeks. After 2-3 weeks the cheese is far enough ahead in development that it can be moved to the ripening room at a temperature of approximately 12°C.
2.2. Ripening Room:
Lower the temperature in the ripening room has not only the purpose of slowing down the ripening in the cheese, but also giving the cheese the necessary firmness, so that it can keep its body and texture before it leaves the plant.
Lamb Lipase for cheese making
by Egon Skovmose on Tuesday, July 8, 2003
Using lipase in cheese making.
Lamb Pregastric Esterase Powder (PGE)
Description: Lamb Pregastric Esterase Powder (PGE) is an extract of the epiglottis (tongue root) of lambs containing lipolytic and esterase activity. The product is freeze-dried, and supplied as a water soluble powder. The powder is slightly hygroscopic, and pink/brown in colour.
Usage: Depending on the flavour intensity when adding it to the milk together with the starter cultures it is recommended to start on the low side and work your way up until you find the desired flavour profile.
Normally 1 – 2 oz per 1,000 lbs (30 – 60 gr. / 450 liter) of milk is recommended for a normal strength of lipase for Romano and Provolone Cheese for grading, while Feta starts at 10 gr. / 100 liter or less at normal strength of lipase. Other types of cheese can also have some lipase to add to flovour profile, but again go easy at first.
It is recommended that the measured amount of lipase powder is dissolved into clean cold water prior to use. Diluting water must be free of all residual chlorine. Addition rates can only be ascertained by trials under manufacturing conditions as described above.
You will find lamb lipase by clicking following link:
http://www.danlac.com/store/index.asp?category=2&product_id=337 Ask for specs. by sending e-amil to: egon@danlac.com
If you need more information about this or other products from our web store :
www.danlac.com/store then please contact us.
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