The single-step operation for enzyme-modified cheese production: Influence and importance of process parameters

Abstract

Enzyme-modified cheeses (EMCs) are natural flavour ingredients with intense cheese flavour. This study utilized a single-step process to produce an EMC; a single step process offers benefits such as shorter processing time, reduced equipment needs, and lower costs. However, product development and optimization are challenging due to multiple influencing factors. The study investigated incubation parameters (temperature, time, agitation speed), enzyme concentrations (proteolytic and lipolytic ratios), and homogenisation pressures to determine the important factors. The proteolytic ripening parameters, free fatty acid profiles, and volatile compounds of EMCs were examined. Key findings indicate that incubation conditions and protease concentration significantly influence EMC properties. Proteolytic enzyme concentration and incubation time were the main contributors to proteolytic ripening, while lipolytic ripening was primarily influenced by incubation temperature and agitation speed. Notably, incubation temperature was the most critical factor affecting the variation of volatile compounds in EMC production.