BLUE CHEESE FLAVOR PRODUCTION ON A MIXED SUBSTRATE AND LIPOLYZED CREAM - STACHYOSE, RAFFINOSE, SUCROSE BIODEGRADATION AND METHYL-KETONES FORMATION

Mixed soy-cow's milk curds were used to produce blue cheese flavour. A selected strain of Lactobacillus acidophilus was used for reduction o f strchyose, raffinose and sucrose. A mixture of 0.30 soybean extract powder, 0.48 pasteurized whole milk, 0.18 UHT cream with 35% fat conte nt, 0.04 calcium caseinate was fermented with lactic acid bacteria and Penicillium roqueforti. After 4 d maturation at 27 degrees 0 and 85% RH, 10% lipolyzed cream was added. A typical blue cheese flavour devel oped after 5 d. High yields (II mg.g(-1)) of methyl-ketones were obtai ned after 150 h of fermentation. The final product contained a low res idual level of stachyose, raffinose and sucrose. In addition, no beany flavour was detected. The chemical changes occurring during the ferme ntation were monitored to optimise fermentation time.