Rapid Evaluation of Milk Coagulating and Flavor Producing Enzymes for Cheese Manufacture

A screening method is reported for rapidly indicating the suitability of various cheese ripening agents. Freshly ground mild cheese curd was inoculated with high levels of enzyme preparations, incubated at 21C for three days and evaluated organoleptically. The method has the advantages of replacing long make and storage testing procedures and comparing treatments on a single homogeneous lot of cheese curd. The method should be useful in evaluating the role of various microorganisms and their enzyme systems in cheese ripening.