CAPRINE CHEESE WITH PROBIOTIC STRAINS - THE EFFECTS OF RIPENING TEMPERATURE AND RELATIVE-HUMIDITY ON PROTEOLYSIS AND LIPOLYSIS

The effects of ripening temperature. relative humidity and time on che mical and textural characteristics of a 'probiotic' goat's milk cheese were examined. The experimental layout followed a 2(3) factorial desi gn, with all possible combinations of 5 degrees C and 10 degrees C (ri pening temperature), 85% and 95% (ripening relative humidity) and I da y and 70 days (ripening time). All proteolytic indices measured (water -soluble nitrogen, trichloroacetic acid-soluble nitrogen and phosphotu ngstic acid-soluble nitrogen) were enhanced with increased ripening te mperature to a greater extent than with increased ripening relative hu midity: the increase in phosphotungstic acid-soluble nitrogen was the most significant. Free fatty acid concentrations in cheeses were not i nfluenced by ripening relative humidity but increased with ripening te mperature and time, A higher ripening temperature and a lower relative humidity gave rise to firmer cheeses. Postulated empirical models hav e provided a good fit to the experimental data set generated; such mod els were able to predict a decrease of 25 days in ripening time with n o impairment of either proteolytic or lipolytic indices if a cheese we re to he ripened at 10 degrees C (rather than 5 degrees C) and 95% rel ative humidity.