Potential of Enzymes in Continous Cheesemaking

The potential of applying enzymes to continuous cheesemaking processes is real despite many problems.An English continuous cheesemaking process for Cheddar cheese, utilizing the principle of cold milk rennetting for continuous curd formation of Cheddar cheese, reflects recent activity.Such cheese was produced on a pilot plant scale by first reacting milk at 4 to 5 C with starter culture and rennet overnight, followed by instant and continuous coagulation as the enzyme reacted milk moved through batteries of long Visking dialysis columns.The curd was drained and texturized continuously at elevated temperatures prior to Cheddaring.The real needs for continuous cheesemaking include proper mechanical design of equipment for heating curd and expelling whey.Application of food grade lactase from yeast (Saccbaromyces lactis) to cheese milk for accelerated acid development, and food grade lipases and proteases from microorganisms (Aspergillus oryzae) to cheese curds with salt for accelerated flavor, have a potential for continuous cheesemaking, particularly for cheese made from pasteurized cow's milk or from imitation milks.Insolubilized enzyme systems for cheesemaking such ~as pepsin, rennin, catalase, and lactase, are emerging, but their application demands imagination and fortitude.Challenges to continuous cheesemaking with or without enzymes can be expected to continue from batch cheesemaking systems which are constantly evolving to larger and larger units with improved economics.