MANUFACTURE OF RAS CHEESE FROM FRESH AND RECOMBINED MILKS

Ras cheese was made by the traditional process from fresh cow's milk a nd different recombined milks. The recombined milks were prepared by m ixing recombined cream (20% fat) with reconstituted skimmilks obtained from classical low heat and medium heat powders, the latter one added or not with calcium caseinate and also from a new milk powder recentl y developed under an INRA patented process using membrane microfiltrat ion. Milks, wheys and fresh cheeses were carefully analyzed in order t o determine reliable weight and cheese component recoveries. Organolep tic qualities determined through flavour, body and texture scorings we re assessed during the 3-month ripening period. The highest weight che ese yields were evidently observed with recombined milks enriched with calcium caseinate and the lowest with recombined milk made from mediu m heat powder. Satisfactory weight cheese yield and milk component rec overies were achieved with INRA powder recombined milk; they were even higher than those of fresh milk. The ripening changes in composition and in ripening indexes were almost the same in cheeses from different milks. Ras cheese from fresh milk showed the best quality followed by that made with INRA milk powder while that made from medium heat milk powder showed the poorest quality.