The ripening process is key to the creation of continental- and cheddar- type cheeses, allowing a cheese to develop its unique characteristics.
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Cheeses (reference to the left and with Nutrilac® CH-4560 to the right) after 3 months of ripening.
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During cheese ripening the organic materials of protein (casein), milk fat (lipids) and carbohydrates (lactose) undergo enzymatic and biophysical changes.
The proteolysis of proteins is the dominant factor for hard- and semi hard cheeses. During ripening the proteins are broken down into peptides and amino acids, flavour compounds are released, and the cheese texture becomes smooth, sliceable and pleasant to consume.
Depending on the exact cheese type, ripening time ranges from 3-4 weeks to more than a year. So although ripening is a vital part of creating the perfect cheese, it can also be quite a costly period, with huge amounts of money committed to storing the ripening cheese.
At Arla Foods Ingredients we have the solution for reducing the ripening time for your cheese – and thereby reducing storage costs by as much as US$16.50 per ton over a 3-week period.
Nutrilac® FastRipe, also known as Nutrilac® CH-4560, is based solely on functional milk proteins and is an easy-to-use powder that speeds ripening time without affecting the final flavour, texture or shelf life of the cheese. This White Paper outlines the unique advantages of Nutrilac® CH-4560.
