Investigations into the combined enzymatic and lactic acid milk coagulation

The effect of acidification on the gel formation process in renneted milk w as encountered in experiments where acidification with a culture of lactic acid bacteria was combined with a very low rennet concentration (as exploit ed for quarg production). The process viscosity behaviour was measured usin g an online oscillation rheometer and was divided into 6 distinct stages. D escriptive parameters for the coagulation process were determined. The infl uence of rennet concentration and renneting pH on the coagulation behaviour was investigated. All coagulation parameters studied had a considerable ef fect on the combined renneting and acidification process. It was found that the same final viscosity could be obtained using less rennet (0.17 instead of 0.90 x 10(-3)%). Surprisingly, the renneting pH had no effect on the fi nal viscosity.