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Bleu Cheese. by Christopher Romanoski. How Is Bleu Cheese Made?. Contains: raw , heated or pasteurized whole milk or from skim milk and cream mixtures (butterfat content: 3.5%).
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Bleu Cheese by Christopher Romanoski
How Is Bleu Cheese Made? • Contains: • raw, heated or pasteurized whole milk or from skim milk and cream mixtures (butterfat content: 3.5%). • Milk heated at lower temperatures than required for pasteurization is preferred because when the milk is heated at pasteurization temperature, the enzyme lipase, an enzyme that splits fats into glycerin and fatty acids, is inactivated • If the whole milk is used, the temperature is adjusted to 85F (29.4C) and the milk is homogenized. • Once homogenized, temperature is raised to 90 degrees • Lactic Acid Starter Culture is added at this point where it interacts for 1 hour • The enzyme, rennet, is added and sits for 45 minutes • At this point, curd has formed that will be separated from the whey and combined with 1% salt • Curd is then kept at 55 degrees Fahrenheit and salt is added daily • The procedure permits air to enter to the products so that the mold, which requires oxygen, will grow.
Microorganisms Involved • Where does bleu cheese get its blue/green look and its flavor? • Penicilliumroquefortiis a type of fungus added to bleu cheese that gives it its flavor and look (under an electron microscope, the individual cells have a green taint). This fungus can be found from soil, decaying organic substances and plant parts. • requires a precise temperature • its need for a moist environment to grow, a french cheese maker ages his bleu cheese in an underground cave • introduced into the curd before the draining of whey • At this point, needles are inserted into the cheese and create small holes for the mold to grow asexual spores and spread; it acts by breaking down complex organic molecules into simpler ones, and smoothing out the fibrous structure of the cheese.
Penicilliumroqueforti • The fungus has been a constituent of Roquefort, the cave in France is located, and other blue cheeses eaten by humans since about 50 AD. This fungus has been commonly used in bleu cheese and became a rich food, as suggested by early literature
Lactic Acid Fermentation • Cheese is a dairy product that results from lactic acid bacteria fermentation. • Glucose and other sugars are converted into cellular energy and the metabolic byproduct, lactate. • As like all types of fermentation, lactic acid fermentation is an anaerobic process • Muscle cells undergo lactic acid fermentation • Because of low energy requirements for yeast and bacteria, lactic acid fermentation is sufficient for these microorganisms to survive on. • One molecule of glucose yields two molecules of lactic acid, or ATP, as described in following equation: • C6H12O6 → 2 CH3CHOHCOOH
Did You Know… • Bleu cheese was first made by accident. While leaving cheese to age in a damp cave, the Penicilliumroquefortiwas introduced to the ingredients and its exquisite flavor was discovered. • It takes 10 gallons of milk to make one pound of most types of cheese. • Only about 3% of the population is truly allergic to milk. On the other hand, a lactose-intolerance individual has difficulty digesting lactose, the chemical product of lactic acid fermentation. These individuals can generally consume hard cheese and yogurt without any adverse effects. • Something unique about bleu cheese is that if it is not wrapped well, the mold spores will spread rapidly
Sources • http://www.foodscience-avenue.com/2006/11/roquefort-gorgonzola-and-blue-cheese.html • http://lsb380.plbio.lsu.edu/Highway%20markers%20folder/2008%20highway%20markers/Bleu%20cheese/Bleu%20cheese.html