DEVELOPMENT OF AN ASEPTIC CHEESE CURD SLURRY SYSTEM FOR CHEESE RIPENING STUDIES

A method was developed for the preparation and ripening of cheese curd slurries under aseptic conditions. Slurries prepared by this method r emained free of contaminant bacteria during ripening at 30 degrees C f or 15 days. This method makes it possible to investigate the effects o f individual microorganisms on the cheese ripening process without int erference from exogenous or endogenous microflora, and is particularly suitable for studying the effect of starter bacteria on the developme nt of cheese flavour. UHT milk is a convenient source of the cheese mi lk for preparing aseptic slurries, but milks subjected to successive h eat treatment or treatment with hydrogen peroxide were also suitable f or this purpose.