Relationship of Milk Fat Globule Membrane Material to Flavor Development in Cheddar Cheese

Abstract

The effect on ripening of varying the amount of fat globule membrane material in Cheddar cheese was investigated by altering the buttermilk content of the cheese milks. The stability of phospholipids during cheese ripening was also measured. The rate of lipolysis increased in cheeses made with skimmilk and butteroil (without buttermilk); but there was no significant flavor difference between cheeses made from whole milk, whole milk with additional buttermilk powder, or skimmilk and butteroil (homogenized at 352 102kg/m2). All had a typical mild flavor. Cheese made with skimmilk and butteroil homogenized at 422 103kg/ m2 were rancid after 6 mo ripening and contained very high amounts of free fatty acids. Cheese made with skimmilk and buttermilk powder contained only .5% fat and were hard and dry in texture with no typical flavor. Counts of starter streptococci were not affected by the presence or absence of buttermilk either during cheesemaking or ripening. Phospholipid in the cheeses decreased by 50 to 70% during the 6 mo ripening. © 1973, American Dairy Science Association. All rights reserved.