Ingredient can reduce cheese-ripening time and save money
Arla Foods Ingredients’ new Nutrilac FastRipe is a natural milk protein that ripens cheese more quickly without affecting taste or quality
Viby J, Denmark – Arla Foods Ingredients has launched Nutrilac FastRipe, a natural milk protein that can allow cheese makers to reduce ripening times and save money without any negative impact on product quality or shelf life.
Ripening is a key stage in the production of continental and Cheddar-type cheeses. It typically takes from three weeks to more than a year, which means it can represent a significant overhead in terms of storage.
The company says Nutrilac FastRipe can cut a company’s storage costs by speeding up the maturation process anywhere from one to six weeks, depending on cheese variety.
Nutrilac FastRipe is made with Arla Foods Ingredients’ CH-4560 natural whey protein, which is extracted from cows’ milk. It is supplied as a fully soluble powder that can be dispersed and blended quickly and easily in cheese-milk or water.
Once added, Nutrilac FastRipe accelerates the mechanism in cheese that causes it to ripen. It softens the protein matrix in the cheese at an earlier stage to help the cheese reach its ideal texture more quickly, and then breaks down casein molecules at a faster rate than usual to release the volatile compounds that are responsible for developing flavour.
Nutrilac FastRipe won’t break down proteins excessively, which means shelf life is not shortened and taste is not impaired. In most countries, the ingredient does not need to be declared on the label because it is derived purely from milk.
Nutrilac FastRipe is suitable for use in a wide range of natural cheeses, including Gouda, Edam, Manchego, Cheddar and Port Salut.
