The effects of commercial mixed-strain starter cultures on the chemical and sensory characteristics of UF-Feta cheese analogue during ripening

Abstract

UF- Feta cheese is mostly produced from bovine milk and is usually consumed fresh or only after a short period of ripening (60 days). In this research, the influence of commercial starter cultures (SafeIT 2, FRC- 65 and R- 704) and ripening time (0- 60 days) on chemical (total solids, fat, protein, ash, salt, acidity, pH), biochemical (pH 4.6, TCA, PTA-soluble nitrogen, acid degree value) and sensory (color and appearance, aroma, texture, flavor and total acceptance) characteristics of UF- Feta cheese analogues was investigated. According to our results, the starter culture types were known to have a significant effect (P≤ 0.05) on pH, %salt, %protein, and pH 4.6- soluble nitrogen of cheeses, whereas the other chemical properties were not affected by them. Ripening time only significantly (P≤ 0.05) influenced %acidity, pH, %salt, acid degree value (meq acid 100 g-1 fat), %protein and %proteolysis products of samples. Also, the starter culture and ripening time did not affect the sensory properties significantly, excluding color and appearance, however, the produced cheeses from SafeIT 2 had higher sensory scores compared with the others containing FRC- 65 and R- 704 cultures.

Keywords

• analogue cheese
• lactic acid bacteria
• ripening time
• starter culture