The effect of some manufacturing conditions on the development of flavour in Cheddar cheese

Organoleptic assessments by the NIRD panel of Cheddar cheeses made with Streptococcus cremoris NCDO 924 or 1986, either in enclosed vats excluding nonstarter flora or in open vats, showed that high viable starter populations in curd did not give stronger-flavoured cheese, but led to the development of bitterness. Cheeses made in open vats developed typical flavour more rapidly than those made in enclosed vats. Maturation temperature was the most important factor in determining the flavour intensity; cheese ripened at 13d?C for six months had stronger flavour than corresponding ones ripened at 6d?C for nine months, irrespective of the starter or vat used.     

Bacterial and fungal microbiota of mould-ripened cheese produced in Konya

Bacterial and fungal diversities of 24 mould-ripened cheeses originating from Konya-Türkiye were examined by metagenomic analysis. Firmicutes phylum, Enterococcus, Clostridium sensu stricto and Lactobacillus (Levilactobacillus) genera were the dominant bacteria. Ascomycota phylum and Penicillium and Pichia genera and Penicillium roqueforti and Pichia membranifaciens species were dominant fungi. Enterococcus faecium (n = 30) and Enterococcus faecalis (n = 6) were identified, and all strains were susceptible to penicillin, ampicillin, vancomycin, teicoplanin, chloramphenicol and linezolid. The highest resistance (n = 14) was against rifampin. Tetracycline resistance was determined in two strains. Biofilm-forming ability was found in nine E. faecium and 1 E. faecalis. E. faecium strains revealed 40–88.9%, and E. faecalis showed 59.2–100% homology by pulsed field gel electrophoresis.     

Culture and molecular identification of fungal contaminants in edible bird nests

Widespread food poisoning due to microbial contamination has been a major concern for the food industry, consumers and governing authorities. This study is designed to determine the levels of fungal contamination in edible bird nests (EBNs) using culture and molecular techniques. Raw EBNs were collected from five house farms, and commercial EBNs were purchased from five Chinese traditional medicine shops (companies A–E) in Peninsular Malaysia. The fungal contents in the raw and commercial EBNs, and boiled and unboiled EBNs were determined. Culturable fungi were isolated and identified. In this study, the use of these methods revealed that all EBNs had fungal colony-forming units (CFUs) that exceeded the limit set by Standards and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia (SIRIM) for yeast and moulds in EBNs. There was a significant difference (p < 0.05) in the number of types of fungi isolated from raw and commercial EBNs, but no significant difference in the reduction of the number of types of fungi after boiling the EBNs (p > 0.05). The types of fungi isolated from the unboiled raw EBNs were mainly soil, plant and environmental fungi, while the types of fungi isolated from the boiled raw EBNs, unboiled and boiled commercial EBNs were mainly environmental fungi. Aspergillus sp., Candida sp., Cladosporium sp., Neurospora sp. and Penicillum sp. were the most common fungi isolated from the unboiled and boiled raw and commercial EBNs. Some of these fungi are mycotoxin producers and cause opportunistic infections in humans. Further studies to determine the mycotoxin levels and methods to prevent or remove these contaminations from EBNs for safe consumption are necessary. The establishment and implementation of stringent regulations for the standards of EBNs should be regularly updated and monitored to improve the quality of the EBNs and consumer safety.     

Low-fat sweet syrup cheese ball (Rosogolla) manufacturing and effect of lowering fat on quality

Low-fat sweet syrup cheese ball (Rosogolla) was manufactured by using low-fat cow milk and implementing six different combinations viz. type of chhana and two different concentrations (40 and 50o Brix) of cooking medium. Experimental Rosogolla samples and control were analysed for physico-chemical, textural and sensory properties. A 40o Brix concentration of sugar syrup as a cooking medium gave a highly acceptable low-fat Rosogolla. Average composition of low-fat Rosogolla is, moisture—49.83%, fat—4.66%, protein—11.85%, sorbitol—32.41% and ash—0.90%. Rheological properties of the most acceptable low-fat Rosogolla were hardness—6.78 N, springiness—5.72 mm, gumminess—3.2 N, chewiness—18.92 Nmm and stiffness—0.95 N/mm.     

Evolution and distribution of phospholipids in cheese and whey during the manufacturing of fresh cheese from cows' milk

In this study, we report on the evolution of phospholipid contents and their distribution in cheese and whey, during the production of fresh cheese. We found that the phospholipid content in the total mass of whey and fresh cheese together was greater than the content of phospholipids in the starting milk used to make them. This increase was probably due to bacterial growth during fermentation and the consequent synthesis of phospholipids to generate cell membranes. In the coagulation process, ≈20% of the phospholipids were drained in the whey. Based on this result, we conclude that whey might be an interesting source of phospholipids, mainly phosphatidylethanolamine and sphingomyelin, for the food industry.     

Effect of formulation and manufacturing parameters on process cheese food functionality--I. Trisodium citrate

The objective of this research was to use a Rapid Visco Analyzer to study the effect of natural cheese age, trisodium citrate (TSC) concentration, and mixing speed on process cheese food (PCF) functionality. In this study 3 replicates of natural cheese were manufactured, and a portion of each cheese was subjected to 6 different PCF manufacturing treatments at 2, 4, 6, 12, and 18 wk of ripening. These treatments were factorial combinations of 3 levels of TSC (i.e., 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0%) and 2 mixing speeds during manufacture (450 and 1,050 rpm). Functional properties of the PCF evaluated included manufacturing properties [apparent viscosity after manufacture (VAM)], unmelted textural properties (firmness), melted cheese flow properties [hot apparent viscosity (HAV)], and cheese thickening during cooling [time at 5000 cP (T5)]. All 4 parameters (VAM, firmness, HAV, and T5) were significantly affected by natural cheese age and mixing speed, whereas VAM, HAV, and T5 were also significantly influenced by the amount of TSC. The VAM and firmness decreased as cheese age increased, whereas T5 values increased as cheese age increased. Similarly, VAM, HAV, and firmness values increased because of the increased mixing speed, whereas T5 values decreased. The age × mixing speed interaction was significant for VAM and firmness. The age × concentration of the TSC interaction term was significant for VAM, whereas the age × age × TSC concentration term was significant for HAV. The results demonstrate that natural cheese age, mixing speed during manufacture, and concentration of TSC have a significant impact on process cheese functionality.     

The influence of thiamine and riboflavin on various spoilage microorganisms commonly found in beer

Beer is generally considered a stable product owing to its intrinsic ‘unfavourable’ conditions (hops, alcohol, low oxygen, etc.) that inhibit the growth of pathogenic microorganisms. However spoilage microorganism such as Lactobacillus brevis , Pediococcus damnosus , Acetobacter aceti , Zymomonas mobilis and various wild yeasts (e.g. Brettanomcyes spp.) can have significant detrimental effects on the organoleptic properties of the final product. The presence of essential vitamins, such as thiamine and riboflavin, can help to enhance the growth of these microorganisms, accelerating the rate of spoilage. The presence of thiamine had a noticeable effect on the lactic acid productivity of L. brevis and P. damnosus , acetaldehyde productivity of Z. mobilis and acetic acid production of Brettanomyces spp., while riboflavin enhanced 2,3‐pentanedione production by P. damnosus and Brettanomyces spp. Copyright © 2017 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling     

Managing diet quality for Cheddar cheese manufacturing milk. 1. The influence of protein and energy supplements.

The effects of supplementing cows' diets with protein and energy on milk composition and the composition and yield of Cheddar cheese were investigated. This research addresses the problems of seasonal reduction in the capacity of cheese curds to expel moisture as observed in parts of south-eastern Australia. Milk was collected from cows offered a basal diet of silage and hay supplemented with different sources and levels of dietary protein and energy. The protein supplements were sunflower, canola, cottonseed meal and lupin, and the energy supplements were maize grain, oats, wheat and barely. This milk was used to manufacture Cheddar cheese on a pilot scale. Cheese moisture content was dependent on the source and level of dietary protein and energy. Milk from cows offered the lupin protein supplements and wheat energy supplements consistently produced cheese with a lower moisture content and moisture in fat-free matter. Milk from these supplemented diets had increased casein concentrations and higher proportions of alpha S2-casein than milk from the poor quality control diet. Cheese yield was directly related to the total casein concentration of milk, but was not influenced by differences in casein composition. Supplementing the cows' diets increased the inorganic P, Mg and Ca concentrations in milk. A low inorganic P concentration in milk from cows offered the control diet was caused by a low intake of dietary P. These findings showed that changes in the mineral and casein composition of milk, associated with diet, could influence the composition of Cheddar cheese.     

Survival and growth of Bacillus cereus in Egyptian bread and its effect on bread staling

Bread was made from dough previously inoculated with spores of three Bacillus cereus strains at different inoculation levels. Counts of survivors and bread staling were determined in bread during storage at 25 degrees C. The total aerobic bacteria, sporeformer and B. cereus counts in seven different wheat flours were 3.0 x 10(6) to 9.1 x 10(7), 3.2 x 10(5) to 1.5 x 10(6) and 50-100 colony forming units (CFU/g). About one in a thousand bacteria were found to survive baking. On the other hand, no multiplication took place, however, until the bread had been stored for more than 3 days. Also, survival and multiplication of B. cereus spores was shown to depend on the kind of strains and type of bread. The addition of B. cereus strains to the dough gave bread with higher freshness than the control sample. This was quite noticeable in inoculated pan bread during storage. It is possible to conclude from the results that B. cereus survive the baking process particularly if original contamination is high. Also increasing the freshness of the bread does not necessarily mean better ingredient and processing conditions.     

Iodine content in bread,milk and the retention of inherent iodine in commonly used Indian recipes

Iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) is still a major public health problem and iodized salt remains the most effective means to control IDD in India. Few reports indicate that vegans have inadequate iodine intake while at the same time concerns are being raised on the implementation of universal salt iodization in the country. Therefore, we investigated the iodine content in bread, milk and commonly used Indian recipes prepared without iodized salt and the retention of inherent iodine therein. Results showed considerable iodine content in bread (25 μg/100 g) and milk (303 μg/L) as a positive fallout of universal salt iodization. Iodine content in 38 vegetarian recipes prepared without iodized salt was very low (2.9 ± 2.4 μg/100 g). Retention of inherent iodine (65.6 ± 15.4%) and iodine from iodized salt (76.7 ± 10.3%) in the same recipes was comparable. Thus, universal salt iodization programme remains the single most important source of dietary iodine for the Indian population.     

In vivo and in vitro antifungal effect of fungal chitosan nanocomposite edible coating against strawberry phytopathogenic fungi

This study compared the effectiveness of fungal chitosan nanocomposite, chitosan gel and chitosan nanoparticles against strawberry phytopathogenic fungi (Botrytis cinerea; Rhizopus stolonifer and Aspergillus niger). Nanoparticles were prepared by ionic gelation method and characterised by dynamic light scattering and scanning electron microscopy. The influence of the edible coatings on fungal growth was analysed in vitro and in vivo The fungal chitosan nanoparticles presented an average size = 331.1 nm (±7.21) with a narrow size distribution (PDI = 0.377) and a zeta potential = +34 mV. The edible coating made by the nanocomposite exhibited important changes in fungal morphology, and the best control of the growth of the assayed fungal strains in artificially infected strawberries. Therefore, nanotechnology brought some benefits to the conventional chitosan gel edible coating, improving its antifungal activity and forming a new eco-friendly coating.     

Brining time effect on physicochemical and microbiological parameters in Idiazábal cheese.

Physicochemical and microbiological parameters were compared for three brining times (12, 24 and 36 h) for fresh, young, semihard and hard Idiazabal cheese. Longer brining time produced higher salt, dry matter and salt-moisture ratio and lower water activity values for all types of cheese according to ripening time, while non-significant changes were observed for pH. In fresh cheese (1-15 days ripening), non-significant differences for microbiological counts in relation to brining time were observed, except for moulds. In young and hard cheeses, Lactobacillus and Leuconostoc showed lower counts with longer brining times. In contrast, Micrococaceae, yeast and moulds were stimulated by higher salt content in matured cheeses. In addition. this work has proved that there are lower water activity values and lower microbiological counts in longer-matured Idiazabal cheeses. For the different brining and ripening times, positive correlations were observed among most of the microbial groups studied, but a different behavior was established for Enterococcus, Clostridium tyrobutyricum, yeast and moulds.     

Employment of autochthonous microflora in Pecorino Sardo cheese manufacturing and evolution of physicochemical parameters during ripening

The isolation and identification of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from raw ewes’ milk and traditional Pecorino Sardo cheese made from this milk without the addition of starter culture was carried out to define the autochthonous lactic microflora present in milk and the evolution of LAB during cheese ripening. Isolation of 275 strains belonging to different Lactococcus, Lactobacillus, Streptococcus and Enterococcus species was achieved. Coccal-shaped LAB were found to predominate during cheese fermentation, while lactobacilli were preponderate during the latter phase of ripening. The technological selection of a total of 174 LAB strains belonging to the species Lactococcus lactis, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus helveticus and Lb. casei allowed an experimental starter to be prepared, in which a potentially probiotic species, Lb. casei was used. The suitability of the autochthonous starter culture was tested in cheese-making trials, using thermised ewes’ milk, by comparing experimental Pecorino Sardo cheese with a control cheese produced at industrial scale using a whey starter culture from previous batches of manufacture. In particular, microbiological and physicochemical parameters were determined over 210 days of cheese ripening. Although sensory evaluation did not show any significant difference between experimental and control Pecorino Sardo cheeses, the use of the selected autochthonous starter allowed the production of experimental cheese with a significantly higher level of free amino acids, in particular essential amino acids, in comparison with the Pecorino Sardo control cheeses.     

The anti-staling effect of pre-gelatinized flour and emulsifier in gluten-free bread

The use of gluten-free products is increasing since an increasing number of people (1–2 %) are suffering from Celiac disease and thereby need a gluten-free diet. Gluten-free bread tends to have shorter shelf life and quality compared with white wheat bread. In this study, 3 % (flour basis) of pre-gelatinized oat and barley flour as well as an emulsifier were added to a gluten-free mix to increase the water content by 1.5–2 %, affect the starch retrogradation and the formation of amylose lipid complex. The staling was followed measuring the firmness (texture analyzer), water content and distribution (nuclear magnetic resonance), amylopectin retrogradation and the formation of amylose–lipid complex (differential scanning calorimetry) in order to see the impact of both macroscopic and molecular changes on firmness. Both gluten-free bread and a white wheat bread were used as control loaves. Largest specific volume was found in the gluten-free control. The firmness varied with both the specific volume and the point of measurement. The amount of retrograded amylopectin increased the firmness, although this effect was dependent on the type of bread, in terms of distribution and availability of the water within the system. The proton relaxation time, which was representing movable water, decreased during storage and revealed that both the amylopectin retrogradation and the lipid complex formation were affecting the rigidity of the amorphous domain and not only the crystalline regions. In contrast to the other recipes, the use of emulsifier caused limited retrogradation and a low correlation between the texture properties and time-dependent events.     

Lens prism in RGP manufacturing and its effect on edge quality.

Unwanted prism in lathe cut RGP lenses is most frequently caused by misalignment when re-blocking the button for cutting the front surface. The geometrical relationships in three types of alignment errors and the resulting variations in edge thickness were mathematically analysed and experimentally confirmed. The edge thickness variations in a prismatic lens along the circumference follow a cosine function. For a typical tri-curve lens design, an eccentric offset 30 microm between the front and the back surface can lead to a difference in edge thickness of more than 50 microm Edge thickness variations are greatest for high power minus lenses with prominent lenticulation. The polished edge shape is significantly compromised by inconsistent edge thickness. Typically, the thinner side has a sharp and pointed edge, while the thicker side is blunt.     

纳他霉素在软酪及干酪中降解情况研究

本文研究了纳他霉素在软质乳酪和于酪成熟过程中的降解以及在乳酪表面的渗透情况。纳他霉紊在乳酪中的残留量用紫外分光光度法进行测定。实验表明，纳他霉素不影响到乳酪的后熟，只停留在乳酪的表面，并在乳酪的发酵后期逐渐消失，纳他霉素的降解速度取决于乳酪的种类及不同的处理方式。     

Terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism and automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis profiling of fungal communities in Camembert cheese

Identifying and isolating yeasts and moulds within a fungal community is challenging. The main goal of the present study was to assess a new approach for the detection and identification of fungi involved in Camembert cheese rind formation to replace the use of traditional microbiological techniques. Two molecular methods, terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) and automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis (ARISA), were adapted and compared for their potential to determine fungal composition directly from cheese samples. The two techniques in combination with principal component analysis showed differences in the fungal composition of cheeses when comparing surface with centre, different batches, manufacturing processes and ripening times. Moreover, cheese stabilisation induced changes in the flora at the cheese centre, and difference in size (150 g versus 1 kg) modified surface flora. Nine fungal genera were identified in cheese samples: Cladosporium, Debaryomyces, Geotrichum, Kluyveromyces, Mucor, Penicillium, Pichia, Saccharomyces and Yarrowia.     

The application of loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) in food testing for bacterial pathogens and fungal contaminants

Bacterial pathogens and toxicants, parasites as well as mycotoxin producing fungi are the major biotic factors influencing the safety of food. Moreover, viral infections and prions may be present as quasi biotic challenging factors. A vast array of culture dependent analytical methods and protocols for food safety testing has been developed during the past decades. Presently, protocols involving molecular biological techniques such as PCR-based nucleic acid amplification and hybridization have become available for many of the known pathogens with their major advantages being rapidness, high sensitivity and specificity. However, this type of assays is still quite labor- and cost intensive and mostly cannot be operated directly in the field. Recently, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) of DNA has emerged as an alternative to the use of PCR-based methods not only in food safety testing but also in a wide array of application. Its advantages over PCR-based techniques are even shorter reaction time, no need for specific equipment, high sensitivity and specificity as well as comparably low susceptibility to inhibitors present in sample materials which enables detection of the pathogens in sample materials even without time consuming sample preparation. The present article presents a critical review of the application of LAMP-based methods and their usefulness in detecting and identifying food borne bacterial pathogens and toxicants as well as mycotoxin producing food borne fungi as compared to other methods. Moreover does it elaborate on new developments in the design and automation of LAMP-based assays and their implications for the future developments of food testing.