Microbiological and Chemical Factors Affecting the Developoment
of Calcium Lactate Crystals in Cheddar Cheese
Research by: Stephanie Clark, Anthony Blake, Yueh-er Chou, Shantanu Agarwal, Kirti Sharma, Tina Plotka, Reyad Shaker
Publications:
Agarwal, S., J.R. Powers, B. G. Swanson, S. Chen and S. Clark* . 2006. Cheese pH, Protein Concentration and Formation of Calcium Lactate Crystals. J. Dairy Sci. 89:4144-4155.
Agarwal, S., K. Sharma, B. G. Swanson, G. U. Yuksel and S. Clark* . 2006. Non-starter lactic acid bacteria biofilms and calcium lactate crystals in Cheddar cheese. J. Dairy Sci. 89:1452-1466.
Agarwal, S., M. Costello and S. Clark* . 2005. Gas flushing impacts calcium lactate crystals in Cheddar cheese. J. Dairy Sci. 88: 3773-3783.
Blake, A. J., J.R. Powers, L.O. Luedecke and S. Clark *. 2005. Enhanced lactose cheese-milk does not guarantee calcium lactate crystals in finished Cheddar cheese . J. Dairy Sci. 88: 2302-2311.
Chou, Y.-E., C.G. Edwards, L.O. Luedecke, M.P. Bates and S. Clark* . 2003. Nonstarter lactic acid bacteria and aging temperature affect calcium lactate crystallization in Cheddar cheese. J. Dairy Sci . 86(8): 2516-2524.
Title:
Nonstarter lactic acid bacteria and aging temperature affect calcium lactate crystallization in Cheddar cheese
Y.-E. Chou, C. G. Edwards, L. O. Luedecke, M. P. Bates and S. Clark
Abstract:
The occurrence of unappetizing calcium lactate crystals in Cheddar cheese is a challenge and expense to manufacturers, and this research was designed to understand their origin. It was hypothesized that nonstarter lactic acid bacteria (NSLAB) affect calcium lactate crystallization (CLC) by producing D()-lactate. This study was designed to understand the effect of NSLAB growth and aging temperature on CLC. Cheeses were made from milk inoculated with Lactococcus lactis starter culture, with or without Lactobacillus curvatus or L. helveticus WSU19 adjunct cultures. Cheeses were aged at 4C or 13C for 28 days, then half of the cheeses from 4C and 13C were transferred to 13C and 4C, respectively, for the remainder of aging. The form of lactate in cheeses without adjunct culture or with L. helveticus WSU19 was predominantly L(+)-lactate (>95% wt/wt), and crystals were not observed within 70 days. While initial lactate in cheeses containing L. curvatus was only L(+)-lactate, the concentration of D()-lactate increased during aging. After 28 days, a racemic mixture of D/L-lactate was measured in cheeses containing L. curvatus; at the same time, CLC was observed. Earliest and most extensive CLC occurred on cheeses aged at 13C for 28 days then transferred to 4C. These results showed that specific NSLAB, production of D()-lactate, and aging temperature affect CLC in maturing Cheddar cheese.
Title:
ENHANCED LACTOSE CHEESE-MILK LACTOSE DOES NOT GUARANTEE CALCIUM LACTATE CRYSTALS IN FINISHED CHEDDAR CHEESE
Anthony J. Blake, Joseph R. Powers, Lloyd O. Luedecke and Stephanie Clark*
Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-6376.
*Corresponding author.
Abstract:
Three experimental batches of cheese were manufactured with standardization of the initial lactose content of the cheese-milk to high lactose (HL, 5.24%), low lactose (LL, 3.81%), and normal lactose (NL, 4.72%, control). After 35 d of aging at 4.4C, the cheeses were subjected to temperature abuse (24 h at 21C in unopened packages) and temperature abuse plus contamination (24 h at 21C, packages opened and cheeses contaminated with aged crystal-containing cheese). After aging 167 d, residual cheese lactose varied (0.43% HL, 0.08% LL, 0.14% control), L(+)-lactate concentrations were high (1.43% HL, 1.37% LL, and 1.60% control), and D(+)-lactate concentrations were low (<0.03%). None of the cheeses exhibited crystals. No significant differences in lactose concentrations attributable to temperature abuse or contamination occurred. No significant difference in L(+)- or D()-lactate concentrations attributable to temperature abuse were found. However, when cheeses were contaminated, L(+)-lactate concentrations were significantly (p<0.05) lower and D()-lactate were significantly (p<0.05) higher (0.09% to 0.18%) than control cheeses. Manufacturing HL Cheddar cheese did not cause calcium lactate crystal formation, suggesting that high lactose concentration alone does not guarantee crystal formation. Lower L(+)-lactate and higher D()-lactate concentrations in contaminated cheeses suggest that the cheeses were innoculated with heterofermentative nonstarter lactic acid bacteria (at day 35) that were able to racemize L(+)-lactate to D()-lactate.
Secondary content using h2 tag.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.
Heading using the h3 tag
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.