FETA CHEESE

FETA CHEESE - TROUBLE SHOOTING TEXTURE AND FLAVOUR

The most important thing when manufacturing Feta is to ensure the correct final pH and moisture in the cheese. After drainage the pH in the cheese should be below 4.7 and the moisture content around 62 %. The choice of a proper starter culture, inoculation rate, temperature and time are important to ensure the required rate of acidification, which is the main parameter in successful production.

The amount of rennet is critical as it all remains in the cheese and may give rise to a bitter taste.

To avoid the growth of contaminants and to ensure a good cheese quality, it is essential to have a short lag phase with a target pH of less than 4.9 after 20 hours. The final pH should be in the range of 4.5 - 4.6.

The minimum pH of the cheese a few days after manufacture is the result of the lactic acid and the buffering compounds in the cheese mass.

Befire transferring to cold storage, it is very important that the oH is 4.4 - 4.6. If higher, the storage stability is reduced and if lower, the cheese can acquire an acidic taste, being too firm due to loss of moisture, and too crumbly. A combination of thermophilic and mesophilic starter culture strains may help in achieving the required pH more rapidly.

Two of the most common defects in Feta - Texture and Flavour.

TEXTURE DEFECTS
In traditional Feta, texture defects are most often caused by gas production due to contaminating microbes like coliforms and other gas-producing microbes. Temperature fluctuations during early manufacture are critical for achieving the correct acid formation and the melting together of the cheese grains.
Blown Cheese
There are often defects in the texture as mentioned above, caused by contaminating bacteria like coliforms and gas-producing microbes. To prevent the cheese from developing this problem, pasteurised milk should be used, good hygienic conditions maintained, and an active starter culture used, as the initial rapid drop in the pH is critical to prevent the growth of contaminating bacteria.
Crumbly and Short Texture
A pH in the cheese that is too low, resulting in low water binding capacity and too little fat in the cheese, may cause a crumbly texture. This defect may be remedied by the following changes:
  1. Use a less active starter - substitute thermophilic starter strains with mesophilic,
  2. Use a lower fermentation temperature,
  3. Decrease the use of CaCl and / or add NaCl to the milk before renneting,
  4. Increase the pasteurised temperature and the homogenisation pressure.
Structure that is too Elastic and Soft
A elastic and soft structure may be caused by the following:
  1. A final pH in the cheese that is too high due to a fermentation temperature that is too low,
  2. Use of a starter culture that is too weak combined with heating to a temperature that is too high,
  3. Homogenisation of the milk and / or retentate.
This defect may be be remedied by adding CaCl, increasing the fermentation temperature and using a more active starter culture.
Mushy and Soft Consistency
This defect may be caused by a concentration of salt that is too high and the pH in the brine being too low. Both of these factors tend to remove CaCl from the cheese, causing a mushy consistency. Adjusting the CaCl concentration to 25 % may prevent this defecgt. A pH that is too low also favours halophilic microbes and inhibits the starter culture. This halophilic microbes like listeria may represent an hazard.

FLAVOUR DEFECTS
Too Salty
If the taste is too salty, some of the NaCl may be substituted with KCl. Replacing up to 50 % may reduce the salty taste. This subsitution will not adversely affect the manuration and flavour development.
Bitterness
A bitter taste is mostly caused by either contaminating microflora, impure salt that contains magnesium, the use of coagulent that is too proteolytic or too high a dosage of coagulant added.
Oxidised Flavour
This may be caused by exposure of the milk or cheese to sunlight. Homogenisation and heat treatment are effective ways of preventing the development of an oxidised flavour.

    • Related Articles

    • WHAT IS FETA CHEESE?

      Feta cheese is a tangy and crumbly cheese that originated in Greece. Made from sheep's milk or a mixture of sheep's and goat's milk, it boasts a distinct and robust flavor. What sets feta apart is not only its taste but also its texture, which is ...

    • WHAT IS PROCESSED CHEESE?

      When it comes to processed cheese, brace yourself for a bold flavor journey! These dairy delights come in an array of tempting varieties that will ignite your taste buds. Processed cheese is not 100% cheese. Most of the time it hovers around 50% ...

    • FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO SOFTER TEXTURE IN CHEESE

      There are 3 major factors contributing to the soft texture in block cheese. Moisture: - Level to high to deliver a firm block - this originated by having to low cheese content for the specific formulation. Lactose: - Contributed by whey powder and ...

    • WHAT INGREDIENTS DOES DYNAMIKO STOCK FOR FETA CHEESE PRODUCTION?

      WANTING TO PRODUCE FETA CHEESE? SEE ATTACHED A CAMPAIGN WITH A LIST OF INGREDIENTS DYNAMIKO STOCK FOR THIS PURPOSE. THERE'S ALSO TIPS INCLUDED FOR PRODUCING FETA CHEESE. AN E-MAIL ADDRESS FOR ORDERING YOUR INGREDIENTS AS WELL AS A WHATSAPP NUMBER FOR ...

    • PRODUCTION OF FETA CHEESE

      The production of Feta cheese requires meticulous attention to detail and adherence to strict quality standards. Starting with the highest quality milk, the first step involves pasteurizing the milk to eliminate any harmful bacteria and maintain its ...