Buffalo milk Cheddar cheese

Cheddar cheese is manufactured mainly from cow milk in major cheese producing countries. However, in India the major share of milk production is from buffaloes.The adaptation of well known technology for the production of various products from buffalo milk posed many problems, primarily because of its qualitative and quantitative differences. The main problems encountered in the manufacture of hard type cheese from buffalo milk have been faster renneting, lower retention of moisture,slower lipolysis and poor proteolysis and poor flavour and body texture development.

The buffalo milk cheese is criticized for being flat and hard, rubbery and dry body and texture.The defects in buffalo milk Cheddar cheese are attributed to the physio-chemical and compositional characteristics of milk. The high buffering capacity of buffalo milk due to higher calcium and casein content is the cause for slower development of acidity. Faster renneting time may be attributed to its higher colloidal calcium content (about 160 mg/ 100 ml compared to only 80 mg/100 ml of cow milk). Lower retention of moisture in the curd may be the result of low hydration of its casein compared to cow milk casein. Hard, rubbery and dry body may be due to high curd tension which, in turn, is the result of higher content of casein with bigger size of the micelle, high content of calcium and magnesium more so in the colloidal state,larger proportion of solid fat with bigger size of the globules and low voluminosity and solvation of its casein micelles compared to the same in cow milk. Slower rate of proteolysis and lipolysis is the cause of higher curd tension of buffalo milk.

Recently the technology for the manufacture of buffalo milk Cheddar cheese has been standardized by employing the following process modifications:

•  Using relatively higher heat treatment for pasteurization of cheese milk (69 °C / 30 min.).
•  Addition of starter culture at higher level (2%).
•  Using starter adjuncts such as Lactobacillus casei or L. helveticus (0.5%).
•  Setting rennetted milk at lower temperature (28 °C).
•  Reducing temperature and duration of cooking (37 °C/40 min.).
•  Frequent turning of blocks during cheddaring.
•  Applying relatively mild pressure.
•  For accelerated ripening- use of enzymic preparations such as Flavorage, Naturage, accelase, etc. may be made.