Effects of microbial coagulants from Rhyzomucor miehei on composition, sensory and textural characteristics of long-ripened hard cheeses

• Published in: Food chemistry 2022-02, Vol.370, p.131043-131043, Article 131043
• Main Authors: D'Incecco, Paolo, Hogenboom, Johannes A., Rosi, Veronica, Cabassi, Giovanni, Pellegrino, Luisa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cheesemaking; Hard cheese; Long ripening; Microbial coagulant; Proteolysis
• ISSN: 0308-8146; 1873-7072
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.131043

•The optimal dose of microbial coagulant is about 45% higher than that of calf rennet.•Coagulants from Rhyzomucor miehei induce minor changes in cheese proteolysis.•Free amino acid accumulation in cheese is not affected by microbial coagulant type. The increasing use of rennet substitutes entails evaluating their performances on different types of cheese. The production of hard cheese using either microbial coagulants from Rhyzomucor miehei (MC) or calf rennet (CR) from different manufacturers was investigated in parallel cheese makings at three industrial dairies. Cheeses were analysed after 9, 12, 16 and 18 months of ripening. Minor differences in cheese composition were found between treatments, principally related to fat content. Cheeses produced with one out of the three MC showed slower primary proteolysis on both αs1- and αs0-casein, compared to the corresponding CR cheeses, indicating a different activity of this coagulant. The same cheeses also had significantly different sensory profiles at 9 months of ripening. Treatments did not differ in free amino acid composition nor in rheological parameters, regardless of ripening period. The long ripening of hard cheeses thus smooths possible differences attributable to MC.