Abstract

VILLEGAS-SOTO, Nelson R.; DIAZ-ABREU, Julio A.  and  HERNANDEZ-MONZON, Aldo. Evaluation of technological efficiency handmade elaboration of a fresh enzymatic clotting cheese. RTQ [online]. 2017, vol.37, n.3, pp. 380-391. ISSN 2224-6185.

The objective of this work is to evaluate the milk quality and the technological efficiency indicators in the handmade elaboration of a fresh enzymatic clotting cheese in Chimborazo, Ecuador. Seven of the existing cheesemakers in the region were evaluated: density, reductasa test, pH, titulable acidity, total solids, fat, protein and calcium were determined to the raw milk. During the milk clotting process the curd firmness was controlled by means of an instrumental method at the cutting moment decided by every cheesemaker. Total solids, fat and protein were determined in the obtained cheeses. For the determination of yield and components recovering was measured the milk quantity and mass of cheese in each production. In this evaluated zone the processed milk presented very good cheesemaking ability, with high content of calcium, mostly superior to 130 mg/100 g and good Ca/N relationships of 0.24 to 0.26. The curd firmness at cutting time was very low in all the productions, and also very low were the technological efficiency indicators: yield of 9.67 to 9.83%; casein recovering 51.38 to 53.18% and fat recovering 30.42 to 36.00%. This indicates that, in spite of the high milk quality, there are problems in the applying technology. The free of fatty matter humidity in the obtained cheeses corresponds to that of "fresh cheese" and according the content of fat in dry extract it classified as a fresh "semi-fatty cheese", the last result due to the bad milk components recovering.

Keywords : milk cheesemaking ability; curd firmness; handmade fresh cheese; technological efficiency indicators.

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