STABILILSED vs TRADITIONAL MANUFACTURING PROCESSES

STABILILSED vs TRADITIONAL MANUFACTURING PROCESSES

Stabilised Manufacturing Process indicates that the proteolysis ripen step has been slowed down if compared to the Traditional Manufacturing Process regardless of it being a CAMEMBERT or BRIE.

Cheese Ripening Occurs During the Following Processes, i.e.
* Proteolysis: the casein protein breakdown process - softening of texture will occur and later on the ammonia flavour notes will occur.
* Lipolysis: the fat breakdown process - creamy notes will occur which will later on turn to rancid notes.

PROTEOLYSIS
* Enzymes from rennet continues to breakdown proteins - especially in the early part of ripening.
* Lactic acid forming bacteria from starters or contaminants, break down the protein network by attacking and destroying the calcium bonds.

The aim of stabilising white mould is to control the rate of the lactic development so that significantly less calcium bonds are destroyed, i.e. this will slow down the proteolysis ripening process. In cheesemaking this is measured by pH which is an indication of how much lactic acid is present in the curd.

There are several steps which can be implemented to obtain a stabilised white mould cheese
1. Use a Thermophile culture in the place of a Mesophile culture
* This will significantly reduce post acidification which often occurs after scooping into moulds up to the brining process.
* If there is micro contamination from bacteria working at mesophilic temperatures (coli's) then it will reduce the gains made with the Thermophile starter.

2. For stabilised cheese aim for final pH of 5.40 - 5.20 vs a final pH of 4.80 - 4.60 for traditional
* To achieve this pH target the total cheese making time will be shorter (25 - 33 %).
* Less stirring should occur to give less syneresis and consequent calcium loss from the curd (25 - 33 %)
* If possible, cubes can be cut slightly larger to ensure less whey is lost during syneresis.

3. Washing of Curd
* This method can also be used i.e. replacing 25 - 33 % of whey water of the same temperature as the whey in VAT.
* Stir the water into the whey and proceed with the normal draining process.
* This method will remove lactic acid and thus an increased pH, but may have a negative impact on yield.

4. Calcium Chloride
* 33 % CaCl2 dosage into milk: can be dosed up to 0.04 % of milk volume.
* 33 % CaCl2 dosage into brine: can be dosed up to 0.08 % of brine volume.

Differences between Stabilised White Mould vs Traditional cheese White Mould
* Texture: Stabilised will be firmer and more elastic vs Traditional which will be softer and creamier.
* Flavour: Stabilised will be milder and less pungent than Traditional but will still have the typical flavour notes coming from the white moulds.
* Shelf-life: Ripening of Stabilised is delayed and slower than Traditional giving Stabilised a longer shelf-life.

Conclusion
The Stabilised Manufacturing Process for white mould cheeses like CAMEMBERT and BRIE is designed to deliberately slow down the proteolysis ripening phase, in contrast to the Traditional Manufacturing Process. By moderating the rate of acid development and preserving calcium bonds in the curd, stabilised methods maintain a higher final pH, which directly influences texture, flavour, and shelf-life.

Key interventions - such as using thermophilic cultures, adjusting curd handling techniques, washing curd, and supplementing with calcium chloride - are all aimed at controlling acidification and proteolysis. As a result, stabilised cheeses exhibit a firmer, texture, milder flavour, and extended shelf-life compared to their traditionally ripened counterparts, while still preserving the characteristics traits imparted by white moulds.

In essence, stabilisation is a targeted approach to refine and extend the sensory and commercial qualities of white mould cheeses by managing their biochemical ripening pathways, particularly proteolysis.

Culture:  Lyofast ST 051
(Specification attached)

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