COTTAGE CHEESE SHELF LIFE AND SPECIAL GAS ATMOSPHERES

SUMMARY– Cottage cheese samples were stored at 3–4°C for 10–12 days in special all-glass containers with purified carbon dioxide, nitrogen and air atmospheres. Shelf-life quality of the cheese was measured by taste panel scoring and by bacterial counts of the top centimeter of product. Carbon dioxide slightly decreased the bacterial counts but it produced an acid or tart cheese. Nitrogen did not significantly decrease the bacterial counts nor affect the taste of the cheese.