White-brined cheese is a cheese matured in brine and is known for its white appearance, high moisture content, and salty taste. It is very popular in regions such as the Balkans, the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey. Bruschetta is usually made from sheep's, goat's or cow's milk and ranges in texture from soft to semi-hard with a strong salty and sour taste.
White brine cheese types
There are many types of white-brined cheese, each with its own unique characteristics. Some examples include:
● Greek Feta: A semi-hard cheese made from goat's milk or a mixture of goat's and cow's milk. It has a salty flavor and a strong aroma.
● Bulgarian White Cheese (Sirene): A semi-hard cheese made from goat's milk, cow's milk, or a mixture of both. It has a tight and smooth texture.
● Turkish White Cheese (Beyaz Peynir): A very popular white cheese in Turkey with a strong sour flavor and high salt content.
● North African White Cheese (Jben/Gibna Bayda): A variety of soft and semi-hard white cheeses produced in North African countries, usually made from cow's, goat's, or sheep's milk.
● Serbian White Cheese (Belir Sir U Kriškama): A white cheese produced in the former Yugoslavia that is soft but hard and rectangular in shape.
Production process
The production process of white brine cheese generally includes the following steps:
● Milk preparation: This may include standardization of milk, pasteurization, or addition of calcium chloride to improve coagulation.
● Curdling: Use rennet to coagulate milk.
● Cutting and draining: Cut the curd into small pieces and drain the whey.
● Molding and pressing: Put the curd into molds and press to further drain the whey.
● Salting: Soak the cheese in salt water or rub the surface of the cheese with dry salt. The salting process can last from hours to days.
● Ripening: Ripen the cheese in salt water for weeks or months. During this time, microorganisms and enzymes break down proteins and fats, producing the unique flavor and texture of the cheese.
Challenges
Some challenges in the production of brine cheese include:
●Texture issues: The texture of brine cheese can be affected by milk composition, curd handling, salting method and ripening conditions.
●Shelf life issues: Brine cheese is susceptible to microbial spoilage, which can shorten its shelf life.
●Defects: Some defects can occur in brine cheese, including:
○Early and late flatulence: caused by gas-producing bacteria, such as Clostridium. Early flatulence is usually caused by E. coli or yeast, while late flatulence is caused by Clostridium. Late flatulence can be related to high pH and low salt content in cheese.
○Mold growth: caused by mold contamination, which can cause surface discoloration and off-flavors. Mold growth can be caused by poor brine or equipment sanitation.
○Softening of the cheese body: caused by bacterial enzyme activity, which can lead to poor texture. Soft texture of brine cheese can be caused by insufficient brine concentration or bacterial enzyme activity.
○Slimy brine: caused by slime-producing bacteria.
Microbes and Enzymes
The ripening of white brine cheese involves a complex interaction of various microbes and enzymes. These include:
●Lactic acid bacteria (LAB): Lactic acid bacteria are one of the main microbial groups in white brine cheese. They convert lactose into lactic acid, lower the pH, and produce many flavor compounds.
●Yeasts: Some yeasts, such as Debaryomyces hansenii, can tolerate brine environments and may contribute to the flavor development of white brine cheese.
●Staphylococci: Some staphylococci, such as Staphylococcus equorum, are also commonly found in white brine cheeses, where they may contribute to the texture and flavor of the cheese.
●Rennet: Rennet is used to coagulate milk and can be derived from animal, plant, or microbial sources. Yotabio now offers micribial rennet and chymosin.
●Transglutaminase: TG can be used in cheese production to increase yield and improve texture and can be added to milk, added simultaneously with rennet, or added after the curd cutting step. TGase has been successfully used in brine-ripened cheeses, such as white brine cheese, to give it a higher firmness and elasticity. However, careful optimization of enzyme application is required to avoid excessive cross-linking.
●Brine,Brine plays a vital role in the production of white brine cheese. Not only does it aid in the salting of the cheese, but it also helps control microbial growth and cheese ripening. The quality of the brine is crucial to the final quality of the cheese.
General advice on texture and shelf life solutions for white brine cheese
Texture
The texture of white-brined cheese can be affected by a variety of factors, including milk composition, curd handling, salting and ripening conditions. Here are some solutions you can use to improve the texture of white brine cheese:
●Milk composition: The ratio of protein, fat and moisture in milk affects the texture of cheese. For example, a higher protein content results in a harder texture, while a higher fat content results in a softer, more elastic texture. Some cheese varieties, such as Frisian, can be drier due to long curdling times and low pH.
●Curd handling: The way the curd is cut, the temperature and time of heating, and the washing of the curd can all affect the texture of the final cheese. Curd making for Cheddar cheese takes a long time because salt is mixed with the curd before pressing, which significantly delays the growth of lactic acid bacteria. Most of the lactose in the curd should have been converted before salting is added. Curd washing is commonly used in the production of Dutch-style cheeses such as Gouda, Edam, and Maasdam, as well as some Swiss/Dutch-style cheeses such as Samsø, Havarti, and Temper. It usually involves removing part of the whey (30-45% of the milk volume) after cutting and replacing it with hot water (55-60°C). Due to the low lactose content in the cheese moisture, and therefore the low lactic acid content, washed curd cheeses have a relatively high pH when fresh (≥5.3), a mild flavor (low lactic acid content), and a characteristic elasticity and long stringiness, which makes them very suitable for slicing.
●Salting: The salting method (dry salt or brine) and the salt concentration affect the texture of the cheese. Dry salting applies salt directly to the surface of the cheese, while brine methods soak the cheese in brine. Both methods affect the cheese yield because salt enters the cheese, but at the same time more water is lost, resulting in a (significant) weight loss. Higher salt concentrations generally result in a harder, more brittle texture. High salt inhibits the metabolism of the starter culture. In high-salt cheeses, such as "barrel-aged parmesan", high salt leads to residual lactose and galactose. During aging, non-enzymatic browning may occur, but flavor development is also hindered. Insufficient calcium in the brine can cause calcium to leach out of the casein, making it more hydrated and soluble. The cheese surface may become too soft or stringy, which can lead to "milk rot" in packaged cheese if bacterial growth occurs.
●Enzyme preparations: Transglutaminase (MTGase) can improve the texture of cheese by cross-linking proteins. It can make white brine cheese more hard and elastic.
Shelf Life
The shelf life of brine cheese is affected by a number of factors, including salt concentration, pH, storage temperature, packaging, and the use of preservatives. Here are some solutions that can be used to extend the shelf life of brine cheese:
●Salt: Salt is the primary preservative in brine cheese. It inhibits microbial growth by reducing water activity, thereby extending shelf life. Salt's preservative effect is due to its inhibitory effect on the water activity (aw) of the cheese: aw = p/po, where p and po are the vapor pressures of water in the cheese and pure water, respectively.
●pH: A lower pH inhibits the growth of many spoilage microorganisms. To increase the shelf life of cheese milk, it can be stored in cold brine until it is needed to add cream and package.
●Temperature: Cold storage helps slow microbial growth and enzymatic reactions, thereby extending shelf life. For example, Gouda and Cheddar cheeses can be stored at -3°C for more than 6 months. If stored at -20°C, these cheeses will become mealy or even crumbly. -20°C is suitable for storing high fat Gouda cheese (60% fat in dry matter).
●Packaging: Proper packaging can help to extend shelf life by preventing moisture loss and preventing microbial contamination. Soft cheeses can be packaged in foil or wax paper. To extend the shelf life of cream cheese, potassium sorbate can be added to cream cheese.
●Preservatives: In addition to salt, other preservatives can be used to inhibit microbial growth, such as potassium sorbate, protective cultures, nisin, natamycin (brine) and e-polylysine. Ricotta cheeses in their fresh state are very susceptible to microbial spoilage by molds, yeasts, and Enterobacteriaceae, especially at higher temperatures. Under aerobic conditions, these cheeses have a shelf life of less than 7 days.
Other considerations
Here are some other factors to consider when seeking to extend the shelf life of white brine cheeses:
●Brine hygiene: Keeping the brine clean and free of contamination is essential to prevent microbial spoilage. This can be achieved by filtering and sterilizing the brine regularly.
●Storage conditions: Cheeses should be stored at the appropriate temperature and humidity to prevent moisture loss and microbial growth. For example, some brined cheeses are stored at lower relative humidity (80-85% for Emmental) to promote the formation of a milk skin, which protects the cheese from undesirable surface growth and moisture (weight) loss.
●Packaging materials: Packaging materials should have good barrier properties to prevent the ingress of oxygen and moisture. This helps prevent the cheese from oxidizing and spoiling.
