Soft mold cheese starter

Abstract

To provide a novel method for producing soft mold-based cheese such as camembert that eliminates the problems of traditional production method and stabilized production method without using special additive.SOLUTION: The present invention relates to a soft mold-based cheese production starter that contains thermophilic lactic acid bacteria and mesophilic lactic acid bacteria and in which the bacteria number ratio of thermophilic lactic acid bacteria to mesophilic lactic acid bacteria is 10:1 to 1:10, a method for producing soft mold-based cheese in which the soft mold-based cheese production starter is used, and a soft mold-based cheese produced by the production method.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a starter for soft mold cheese such as Camembert cheese, a method for producing soft mold cheese using the starter, and soft mold cheese produced by the method. [Background technology]

[0002] Soft mold cheeses such as Camembert lose their commercial value when their texture is poor, such as being too hard or too soft. Hard Camembert has a poor texture and flavor, while soft cheese is sticky to the touch and difficult to eat.

[0003] Camembert cheese production methods are broadly divided into the traditional method, which uses only mesophilic lactic acid bacteria as a lactic acid bacteria starter, and the stabilized method, which uses only thermophilic lactic acid bacteria. Camembert cheese is made by breaking down proteins into ammonia using white mold on the surface of the cheese, but Camembert cheese made using the traditional method has the problem that the periphery, which has a high pH, ​​is too melty, while the center is a little hard and has a strong sour and bitter flavor. Camembert cheese made using the stabilized method has the problem that it is hard overall and tends to have a mild, bland flavor because it does not use lactic acid bacteria that produce the aromatic substances diacetyl and acetoin.

[0004] Attempts to improve the characteristics of such cheese tissue include, for example, reducing the free β-lactoglobulin content in white mold cheese to prevent the internal tissue from leaking out at room temperature even if the white mold cheese is high in fat and moisture (Patent Document 1), and using psychrophilic and / or mesophilic lactic acid bacteria to increase the amount of casein-bound calcium in the inner part of white mold cheese to a predetermined amount or more, thereby preventing the cheese from leaking out from the cut surface (running) (Patent Document 2).

[0005] Furthermore, a method for producing white mold cheese that combines the advantages of both traditional and stabilized methods has been proposed, in which an edible alkali agent is added to the cheese curd to control the ratio of sodium and chlorine (Patent Document 3). Incidentally, in fermented milk such as Caspian Sea yogurt, which is fermented using Lactobacillus cremoris as the main fermenting bacterium, there are known examples of using thermophilic bacteria in combination to suppress the cheese odor that gradually becomes stronger during storage, and to produce fermented milk that exhibits a stable, mild cheese aroma even during storage and has a smooth texture due to its viscosity (Patent Document 4).

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-212097 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-180247 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-133 [Patent Document 4] Patent No. 3645898 DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a new method for producing soft mold cheese such as Camembert, which does not require the use of special additives and overcomes the problems associated with the traditional and stabilized production methods. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] As a result of extensive research to solve the above problems, the inventors discovered that by using a starter that is a mixture of thermophilic lactic acid bacteria and mesophilic lactic acid bacteria in a specified ratio, it is possible to produce soft mold cheese with desirable hardness, texture, and flavor without using special additives.Further research led to the completion of the present invention.

[0009] Thus, the present invention relates to the following: [1] A starter for soft mold cheese production, containing thermophilic lactic acid bacteria and mesophilic lactic acid bacteria, with the ratio of thermophilic lactic acid bacteria to mesophilic lactic acid bacteria being 10:1 to 1:10. [2] The starter for producing soft mold cheese according to [1] above, wherein the ratio of the number of thermophilic lactic acid bacteria to the number of mesophilic lactic acid bacteria is 4:1 to 1:1. [3] The total number of thermophilic and mesophilic lactic acid bacteria is 1 x 10 8 cfu / g ~9×10 10 The starter for producing soft mold cheese according to [1] or [2] above, wherein the total number of cells per 1000 is 1000 or more. [4] A method for producing soft mold cheese, using the starter for producing soft mold cheese according to any one of [1] to [3] above. [5] The method according to [4], wherein the fermentation using the starter for soft mold cheese production is carried out at 27°C to 37°C.

[0010] [6] A soft mold cheese produced by the method described in [4] or [5] above. [7] The soft mold cheese according to [6], having a moisture content of 45% to 58% by weight. [8] The soft mold cheese according to [6] or [7], wherein the hardness of the center of the soft cheese portion is 90 gf to 250 gf. [9] A soft mold-based cheese according to any one of [6] to [8], wherein the hardness of the peripheral part of the soft cheese portion is 40 gf to 120 gf.

[10] The soft mold cheese according to any one of [6] to [9], which is Camembert cheese. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] The starter for producing soft mold cheese of the present invention combines thermophilic lactic acid bacteria and mesophilic lactic acid bacteria at a predetermined bacterial count ratio, thereby allowing for optimal moisture removal without the use of special additives, resulting in soft mold cheese with more desirable hardness and texture, and improved flavor. Specifically, when only thermophilic lactic acid bacteria are used, the cheese tends to be hard overall, and when only mesophilic lactic acid bacteria are used, the periphery tends to be too melty, whereas with the present invention, a cheese structure can be achieved that has an appropriate degree of hardness and meltiness in both the center and periphery. Furthermore, when only thermophilic lactic acid bacteria are used, the umami flavor tends to be weak, and when only mesophilic lactic acid bacteria are used, the sourness and bitterness tend to be strong, whereas the present invention results in good umami flavor and taste. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] The present invention will be described in detail below, but the present invention is not limited to individual embodiments. In one aspect, the present invention relates to a starter for producing soft mold cheese, which comprises thermophilic lactic acid bacteria and mesophilic lactic acid bacteria.

[0013] Thermophilic lactic acid bacteria are lactic acid bacteria whose optimum growth temperature is approximately 37°C to 45°C, and examples thereof include lactic acid bacteria of the genus Streptococcus and Lactobacillus. More specific examples include Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, and Lactobacillus helveticus.

[0014] Mesophilic lactic acid bacteria are lactic acid bacteria whose optimum growth temperature is approximately 25°C to 35°C, and include, for example, lactic acid bacteria of the genus Lactococcus and Leuconostoc. More specific examples include Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Lactoboccus lactis subsp. cremoris, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis biovar. diacetylactis, and Leuconostoc sp.

[0015] Soft mold cheese is a soft cheese made by growing mold such as white mold on the surface of natural cheese, and examples include Camembert cheese, Brie cheese, Saint-André cheese, Crommiers cheese, Neuchâtel cheese, Baraka cheese, Bonifaz cheese, Saint-Marcelin cheese, and Chaource cheese.

[0016] The starter of the present invention may have a bacterial count ratio of thermophilic lactic acid bacteria to mesophilic lactic acid bacteria of 10:1 to 1:10, preferably 4:1 to 1:4, and more preferably 4:1 to 1:1. The total bacterial count of thermophilic lactic acid bacteria and mesophilic lactic acid bacteria in the starter of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably 1 x 10 8 cfu / g ~9×10 10 cfu / g, preferably 1×10 9 cfu / g ~9×10 9 cfu / g, more preferably 1 x 10 9 cfu / g ~5×10 9 cfu / g.

[0017] In one aspect, the present invention relates to a method for producing soft mold cheese using the starter for soft mold cheese production described above. The method for producing soft mold cheese is not particularly limited except that the starter for soft mold cheese production of the present invention is used, and the method is, for example, carried out as follows. (1) The raw milk is heat sterilized and cooled. (2) Add a starter and ferment until the desired pH is reached. (3) Rennet is added and the cheese is coagulated to obtain cheese curds. (4) Cutting the cheese curds and draining the whey. (5) Put the cheese curd into a mold and mold it. (6) Salt the molded cheese curds. (7) Spray mold cells such as white mold and allow to mature for the first time. (8) After packaging, the product is aged for a second time. (9) Place in a sealed container, sterilize by heat, and store at low temperature.

[0018] In one aspect of the present invention, fermentation with a starter for soft mold cheese production is carried out at 27°C to 37°C, preferably 29°C to 35°C, particularly preferably 30°C to 34°C.

[0019] In one aspect, the present invention relates to a soft mold cheese produced by the above-mentioned method for producing a soft mold cheese. The soft mold cheese of the present invention has a moisture content of 45 to 58% by weight, preferably 47 to 56% by weight, and particularly preferably 49 to 54% by weight.

[0020] The soft mold cheese of the present invention has an excellent balance of hardness between the center (from the center to about halfway down the circumference) and the peripheral portion (from the outermost position of the center to a position near the circumference) of the soft cheese portion (i.e., the portion excluding the circumference), resulting in moderate hardness and meltability.

[0021] The hardness of the center of the soft cheese portion is preferably 90 gf to 250 gf, more preferably 100 gf to 200 gf, and particularly preferably 110 gf to 150 gf. The hardness of the peripheral part of the soft cheese portion is preferably 40 gf to 120 gf, more preferably 50 gf to 110 gf, and particularly preferably 60 gf to 100 gf. In one embodiment, the soft mold cheese of the present invention is Camembert cheese.

[0022] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0023] 1. Making Camembert cheese The raw milk used as the raw material was sterilized at 75°C for 20 seconds, then cooled to 32°C. A lactic acid bacteria mixed starter with a bacterial count ratio of thermophilic lactic acid bacteria to mesophilic lactic acid bacteria listed in Table 1 was added to the milk. 7 When the pH of the raw milk reached 6.4, rennet was added and the milk was coagulated to obtain cheese curds. After coagulation, the cheese curds were cut and the whey was drained. The conditions for cutting and draining the whey were adjusted so that the moisture content of the cheese curds was 51-53%. The cheese curd was poured into a roughly cylindrical mold, which was shaped so that the resulting cheese would have a diameter of 7.8 cm, a thickness of 2.0 cm, and a mass of 100 g. The day after cheese curd production, the molded cheese curds were immersed in salt water and salted to a target salt content of 1.1%, after which a diluted solution of white mold cells was sprayed onto them and primary aging was carried out at 17°C, 90% RH, and for 7 days. After the primary aging, the product was wrapped in a wrapping film and subjected to secondary aging at 8°C, 60% RH, and for 7 days. The resulting cheese was placed in an airtight container, sterilized so that the center temperature reached 90°C, and then stored at 4°C. In Examples 1 to 5 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2, Streptococcus thermophilus was used as the thermophilic lactic acid bacteria, and Lactococcus lactis and Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris were used as the mesophilic lactic acid bacteria.

[0024] 2.Hardness measurement The hardness of the prepared Camembert cheese was measured as follows. The measurement was carried out twice and the average value was calculated. (1) The center and periphery of the soft cheese sample were cut into rectangular parallelepiped shapes and stored at 10°C for 2-3 hours to adjust the temperature of the sample. The center of the soft cheese portion was the area from the center to approximately half the radius as seen when looking down on the cylindrical cheese from above, and the periphery was the area from approximately half the radius to where the periphery covered with white mold was cut off. (2) Using a rheometer (manufactured by Rheotech), the hardness (gf) of the samples was measured under the following conditions: The measurements were performed on a sample containing the center of the soft cheese portion or a rectangular sample containing the periphery of the soft cheese portion, by bringing a plunger into contact with the sample in the direction from the surface of the rectangular parallelepiped that faces the center toward the surface that faces the periphery before cutting. [Measurement conditions] RANGE:2k PL:SCALER S.ADJ (distance from when the sample and plunger come into contact and load is applied): 3.0 mm T.SPEED (sample stage lifting speed): 15cm / min Plunger: 1cm diameter (disc-shaped)

[0025] 3. pH Measurement The pH of the prepared Camembert cheese was measured as follows. (1) The cheese was cut into a fan shape passing through the center, resulting in a cheese of about 1 / 6 the original size. The cheese was crushed and mixed using a mixer or the like until it was uniform. (2) 30 g of warm water at approximately 50°C was added to 10 g of crushed cheese (4-fold dilution), and the mixture was homogenized to obtain a sample solution. (3) The sample solution was cooled to approximately 25°C and measured using a pH meter (manufactured by DKK-TOA Corporation). Measurements were performed using a 1000kJ / 2000kcal (HM-30G).

[0026] 4. Sensory evaluation The Camembert cheese was sensory evaluated by 10 panelists who rated its flavor and texture on a 5-point scale (5 points: very good, 4 points: good, 3 points: acceptable, 2 points: bad, 1 points: very bad) and calculated the average score.

[0027] 5.Results The details of the results are as follows: Example 1 Camembert cheese made using a lactic acid bacteria mixed starter with a bacterial count ratio of thermophilic lactic acid bacteria to mesophilic lactic acid bacteria of 86:14 had a moisture content of 51.8%, a pH of 6.51, and a hardness of the soft cheese part of 142gf at the center and 103gf at the periphery. It had just the right hardness and melt-in-your-mouth quality, and was excellent in both flavor and texture. <Example 2> Camembert cheese made using a lactic acid bacteria mixed starter with a bacterial count ratio of thermophilic lactic acid bacteria to mesophilic lactic acid bacteria of 71:29 had a moisture content of 52.6%, a pH of 6.44, and a hardness of the soft cheese part of 112 gf at the center and 86 gf at the periphery. It had just the right hardness and melt-in-your-mouth quality, and was excellent in both flavor and texture.

[0028] Example 3 Camembert cheese made using a lactic acid bacteria mixed starter with a bacterial count ratio of thermophilic lactic acid bacteria to mesophilic lactic acid bacteria of 53:47 had a moisture content of 52.3%, a pH of 6.30, and a hardness of the soft cheese part of 116 gf at the center and 92 gf at the periphery. It had just the right hardness and melt-in-your-mouth quality, and was excellent in both flavor and texture. Example 4 Camembert cheese made using a lactic acid bacteria mixed starter with a bacterial count ratio of thermophilic lactic acid bacteria to mesophilic lactic acid bacteria of 29:71 had a moisture content of 52.9%, a pH of 6.38, and a hardness of the soft cheese part of 106gf at the center and 81gf at the periphery. It had just the right hardness and melt-in-your-mouth quality, and was excellent in both flavor and texture. <Example 5> Camembert cheese made using a lactic acid bacteria mixed starter with a bacterial count ratio of thermophilic lactic acid bacteria to mesophilic lactic acid bacteria of 11:89 had a moisture content of 51.4%, a pH of 6.28, and a hardness of the soft cheese part of 118gf at the center and 58gf at the periphery. It had a moderate hardness and melt-in-your-mouth quality, and although it had a slight bitterness, it had a good flavor and texture.

[0029] <Comparative Example 1> Camembert cheese made using a lactic acid bacteria starter containing only thermophilic lactic acid bacteria had a moisture content of 52.4%, a pH of 6.47, and a hardness of the soft cheese part of 285gf at the center and 221gf at the periphery. It was light but somewhat flavorless, with a strong elasticity and a firm texture overall. <Comparative Example 2> Camembert cheese made using a lactic acid bacteria starter containing only mesophilic lactic acid bacteria had a moisture content of 51.8%, a pH of 5.74, and a hardness of the soft cheese part of 110gf in the center and 20gf at the periphery. It had a strong sour and bitter taste, the center of the curd was a little hard, and the periphery was too melty.

[0030] The above results are summarized in Table 1. [Table 1]

Claims

1. 1. A method for producing soft mold cheese, comprising: The thermophilic lactic acid bacteria and mesophilic lactic acid bacteria are contained, and the ratio of the number of thermophilic lactic acid bacteria to the number of mesophilic lactic acid bacteria is 71:29 to 1:1, and the total number of the thermophilic lactic acid bacteria and the mesophilic lactic acid bacteria is 1 x 10 ８ cfu / g ~ 9 x 10 １０ cfu / g, and the cheese obtained by fermentation is heat-sterilized, wherein the thermophilic lactic acid bacteria are Streptococcus thermophilus, and the mesophilic lactic acid bacteria are Lactococcus lactis and Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris.

2. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pH of the soft mold cheese produced is 6.28 to 6.

51.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the heat sterilization is carried out in a sealed container.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the heat sterilization is carried out so that the temperature of the center of the cheese obtained by fermentation is 90°C.

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