Milk Plasmin Activity Influence on Cheddar Cheese Quality during Ripening

Up to six‐fold increase in plasmin activity in milk did not significantly (p<0.05) affect the composition (moisture, protein, NaCl) of cheese, although a slight increase in moisture and decrease in protein content of the cheese was noted. Proteolysis in cheese increased with plasmin activity, resulting in improved flavor and overall quality of the cheese after 3 and 6 months ripening. Consistently, increasing the plasmin activity in milk about three‐fold resulted in cheese of superior sensory quality.