Influence of raw milk microflora on the characteristics of Swiss-type cheeses: II. Biochemical and sensory characteristics

Abstract

Using the same microfiltered milk, three 'raw milk' Swiss-type minicheeses were made after addition of three different retentates; one, remaining bacteria-free, was used as reference. The experiment was repeated three times at two different seasons. Factorial discriminant analyses were made on biochemical, physico-chemical and microbiological data at 12 weeks (end of warm storage, 18 °C) and 24 weeks (end of cold storage, 7 °C). At each ripening period, 'raw milk' cheeses were easily and significantly separated from the reference cheese. At 12 weeks, the three 'raw milk' cheeses were separated on the basis of propionic fermentation products, and to a lesser extent on proteolysis and levels of facultatively heterofermentative lactobacilli and starter lactic acid bacteria. At 24 weeks, differentiation was mainly based on proteolysis, since volatile fatty acids and lactate concentrations were nearly the same, irrespective of the cheeses. The same conclusions were drawn for winter and autumn cheeses. Based on sensory evaluations made at the end of ripening, it was also possible to differentiate between the different 'raw milk' cheeses in winter and in autumn. Reference cheeses were always clearly separated from the other cheeses. The qualitative and quantitative importance of the indigenous microflora of milk on the biochemical and sensory characteristics of Swiss-type cheeses has been discussed.