Late swelling is a common problem in cheese production, affecting both the quality and appearance of the final product.

In this article, we will explore the causes of its emergence, its effects on the cheese industry and how we have developed a product to maintain excellence in cheese production.

Want to know all this in more detail? Just read on.

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Butyric contamination

The study of the microbiology associated with food production is essential to prevent possible contamination, which leads to a loss of the quality properties of the food and a risk to the health of the consumer.

Such is the case of the butyric contamination caused by the genus Clostridium, one of the most serious problems affecting cheese dairies and the cause of late swelling in cheese due to the formation of carbon dioxide and hydrogen during lactate degradation.

These gases occupy spaces within the cheese («eyes») of irregular shape and variable size, but usually larger than those produced by coliform bacteria.

 

The problem of late swelling in cheeses

Late swelling is one of the most serious problems affecting cheese dairies. It appears during the maturing or ripening period of the cheeses and is manifested by a swelling which, in the most serious cases, can cause the cheeses to burst.

This phenomenon can occur days, weeks or even months later. of processing. Generally, its late detection prevents corrective measures from being taken to mitigate its effects in subsequent batches, so that when swelling is discovered in one batch, the following batches may also be affected and without the possibility of recovery.

When the cheese splits or bursts due to the effect of the gases, the gases are released causing contamination and odour.

This defect often seriously damages the marketing of the affected cheeses, forcing them to be discarded or reused, with a significant reduction in the economic benefit.

 

Avoid bloating with Vitalmix-Ped

Conventional solutions for dealing with this problem range from the use of allergens such as egg lysozyme (e1105), anti-butyric salts (e252) banned in some countries or expensive processes such as bactofugation.

Following the various studies carried out at DOMCA, we were able to observe that certain cheeses did not show this swelling despite being made with milk contaminated by the Clostridium genus.

This was because they had a highest number of CFU of the genus Pediococcus, which act as natural competitors of the Clostridium pathogen by occupying its ecological niche.

The next step was to isolate these «beneficial» micro-organisms from the unswollen cheeses. Specifically, we isolated 3 strains of Pediococcus acidilactici, which we currently market freeze-dried under the trade name of VITALMIX PED.

Vitalmix Ped allows us to tackle the problem of late swelling in cheese, forgetting about conventional, synthetic, uneconomical solutions, giving rise to a «clean label».

This is one of the examples of how we at DOMCA use nature as a model in the development of our biotechnological products.

 

At Domca we are experts in food preservation

At Domca, we are dedicated to the sale of additives for the food industry.

Visit our catalogue of products for dairy preservation, You will be able to extend their useful life and ensure that they reach your consumers in optimum condition.

We look forward to working with you to improve the quality of your cheeses!