EFFECT OF COMMERCIAL FUNGAL PROTEASES AND FREEZE-SHOCKED LACTOBACILLUS-HELVETICUS CDR-101 ON ACCELERATING CHEESE FERMENTATION .1. COMPOSITION

Moisture content of control cheese was lower than that of UF cheese an d ranged between 38.64-40.50%, whereas UF cheese contained 40.12-44.09 %. The UF cheese had less fat but more moisture than controls; however , the percentages of fat in dry matter ranged between 51 and 53% and w ere not different from the controls. Moisture and fat content of Gouda cheese were not changed by addition of either fungal proteases or fre eze-shocked L. helveticus. The pH of fungal protease-treated cheese wa s similar to that of the control when curd was cut 20-25 min after add ition of rennet and fungal protease to milk. The ultrafiltration of mi lk and addition of fungal proteases and freeze-shocked L. helveticus h ad no effect on pH during ripening. Salt-in-moisture (SIM) contents of conventional and UF cheeses were 3.24 +/- 0.42% and 4.12 +/- 0.52%, r espectively, in trial 1, 2 and 3, due to poor fusion of the curd durin g UF cheese manufacturing and enhanced absorption of the salt solution during brining. Proper handling of UF cheese curd resulted in SIM 2.4 2-2.99% which is close to that of conventional cheeses (2.34-2.89 in t rial 4).