Author Topic: Exploding Gouda  (Read 6406 times)

Savu

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Exploding Gouda
« on: July 30, 2014, 09:25:58 AM »
I posted this pic a few weeks ago, it was an experiment to see how much milk would be required to fill my baby gouda ( 500g). Looked good for couple weeks until I checked it last night when I discovered it had exploded, gas had blown the top wide open. Doesn't smell bad, sort of cheesy, but as you can see doesn't look good, yeast contamination? What does anyone think?

Spoons

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Re: Exploding Gouda
« Reply #1 on: July 30, 2014, 12:59:14 PM »
That's what's know as "late blowing". When it happens, it happens between the 3rd and 6th week of ripening. If this effect happened sooner, then it's not late blowing.

The clostridium count is too high and produces this gas. Most times, there's no off smell or taste. I haven't seen anywhere that says it's unsafe to eat. It happened to me once and I ate the cheese. It was quite good. So long as the smell and taste aren't off.

So what most likely caused this? Silage in the cow feed and improper hygiene at the farm.

This usually only happens in brined semi hard cheeses like gouda. It happens because the salt doesn't get to the cheese fast enough to prevent the spores to create this effect. The salt kills off those spores. There are three ways to correct this:

1. At the farm; better feed quality and better cow hygiene = better milk quality
2. Use an adjunct culture called Holdbac LC
3. Use Sodium Nitrate in the milk when warming the milk before making cheese (if legal in your country)

mohamed

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Re: Exploding Gouda
« Reply #2 on: July 30, 2014, 07:29:35 PM »
Hi,

this is Coliform Bacteria

this problem is found in the cheese manufacturers which use raw milk and it is a hygiene problem
and if your milk is infected you can not do anything (personally I throw because is not freindly bacteria)

the time of their Appearance  depends on the initial quantity in milk
a high rate of coliform = rapid swelling
low levels of coliform = late swelling

-there are three type of perforate early

1-Coliform

The group of the bacteria coliformes understands several species of which Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae…
For example, among the principal stocks of Camembert cheeses to believed milk, one finds Hafnia alvei, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter cloacae and Serratia liquefacians.

They have the property to ferment lactose what involves the production of acids, alcohols and gas
The early swelling (holes observed in moulded curd and cheeses) which can result from this is due to the carbonic gas formation but especially to that of hydrogen which has a very low solubility in cheese.
The acetic acid causes a sour, unpleasant odor. Certain stocks of coliformes produce only very little gas, such as for example, E.coli.
The more massive the contamination will be, the more swelling will be early.

They are normal hosts of the digestive tract of the man and warm-blooded animals from 100,000 to 1 million germes/g of deposit).
One also finds them in the ground, the water surface and used, dust, the plants, mud….
One generally distinguishes the “fecal coliformes”, coming from the instestins of the man and the animals, and the “nonfecal coliformes” of the environment.

Remedies:
search the nests of the contamination on all the circuit of milk. This will pass by:
to check general hygiene
to dismount the milking machine and the circuit of milk
check the state of “cleanliness” of the udders and the litters
check the cleaning of the equipment of cheese factory (attention to often failing descaling).
limit the air intake during the installation and deposits claws during the draft

2-Leuconostoc lactis


They are characterized within the lactic bacteria by their metabolism hétérofermentaire: they produce lactic acid, CO2 and ethanol starting from lactose of milk.
They are bacteria mésophiles. Their optimal temperature of growth is of 18°à 30°C. Their minimal temperature of growth is of 5°C, that maximum is of 40°C. They do not develop with 45°C. They produce CO2, ethanol, lactic acid (D).
Their optimal pH of growth is from 6.3 to 6.5.
They are not able to acidify in pure culture and to produce gas below pH = 5.
They produce gas beyond 10 6 to 10 7 UFC/g.
They have a great aptitude to form biofilms with production of gelatinous substances.
They are able to produce active bactériocines against unquestionable pathogenic.
Species: Ln. mesenteroides, Ln. dextranicum, Ln. lactis, Ln. cremoris.
Degradation of lactose by the leuconostocs: 1 lactose molecule = 2 molecules of lactic acid + CO2 + ethanol + acid acetic.

Remedies:
change the whey
decrease the temperature by two degrees (until 18°C) on fast profile of acidification,
take rather the whey with 50°Dornic nine hours after emprésurage in order to use it for the following manufacturing you can store the whey with 4°C during 2 days before using it
stop cold pre-maturations (10-14°C during 12-14 hours) you can use leavens commercial 100% homofermentaires in lactic technology,
turn over cheeses moulds some as soon as possible (3 hours after moulding): this will limit the gas formation

3-yeast ( The most important species met in the dairy products are: Kluyveromyces lactis , Kluyveromyces marxianus , Candida famata , Candida versatilis. As for Geotrichum candidum, it is classified like mushroom levuriforme, i.e. which it is intermediate between yeasts and the moulds. )

In the dairy products, 4 species (K. lactis, K. marxianus, Candida famata and C. versatilis) are able to ferment lactose. This fermentation involves the formation of made up of flavours (odor of yeast, of apple) and of CO2 (formation of holes).
Moreover, the production of alcohol can give an alcoholic odor which is found sometimes when the cheeses are confined.

They can colonize the ground, the air, water and more particularly water polluted, the ensilages, and develop on the skin of the man and the animals, in their digestive system or respiratory and be isolated from their excrements.
They belong to the normal flora of raw milk.

Remedies:
cleaning and disinfection of all equipment
find an atmosphere of healthy milking
limit grain dust during milking
storing milking equipment in a well ventilated area and clean
think descaling equipment including cheese molds (acid cleaning)

JeffHamm

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Re: Exploding Gouda
« Reply #3 on: July 30, 2014, 08:44:44 PM »
I had a gouda swell up once as well a while back, similar looking holes.  I aged it out a while, and it had a bitterness to it I didn't like and pitched it (it had almost a swiss flavour too).  Here's the thread Jeff's Baloon Gouda.  With a washed curd make, one possible source of contamination is the wash water.  I've made lots of butterkase (around 8 or so makes) and about 5 goudas, and the above one was my only one where I had a problem with swelling.  Double check your sterilisation routine.  I put a kettle full of boiling water in my milk pot and put the utensils in that, add the lid, and let everything steam, etc, while I set up.  When I'm ready, I then give the pot a rinse with my sterilizer water (I use 2 buckets, one blue with just water, and one red with water and a cap ful of bleach - you can use iodine or whatever suits you).  Anything that goes intot he milk, as in a knife to cut, or a spoon to stir, etc, first goes in the blue then the red bucket then into the milk (the small amount of sterilization water on the utensil will not cause problems).  So, the hot water bath, and the rinse with the sterilization solution should ensure your pot is clean.  For gouda's, and other washed curds, make sure you do something similar with the pot that you use to warm up your wash water!  And, if you're using tap water, you might consider boiling your wash water earlier and letting it cool to the temp you need. 

that, or Fonterra has another dirty pipe! ;)

- Jeff

Savu

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Re: Exploding Gouda
« Reply #4 on: July 31, 2014, 04:59:59 AM »
I thought when I saw "Spoons" reply ahh good nothing I've done now with Jeff's reply it's got me worried again I'm very thorough with sanitising everything but didn't really think about the water used to wash the curds. My water is filtered, living in Titirangi, Jeff the only way get rid of the chlorine taste (too close to the filtration plant!).
The timelime for late blowing is spot on 6 weeks to the day. I used Meadowfresh p/h blue top so didn't think there would be problem with feeding out with sillage as I thought it only affected raw milk, but have since found this:

https://www.diaa.asn.au/publications/australian-journal-of-dairy-technology/issues/article/australian-journal-of-dairy-technology/23-adjt-articles/2054-late-blowing-of-swiss-cheese-incidence-of-clostridium-tyrobutyricum-in-manufacturing-milk
The months they quote April-June also fit, they have problem with it in Tasmania then sure as hell there will be a problem in New Zealand!

JeffHamm

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Re: Exploding Gouda
« Reply #5 on: July 31, 2014, 08:07:54 AM »
Interesting article!  My balloon gouda was made late March (March 24), so just before the April end, but perhaps close enough to suggest a link.  At least, if it's the milk, your filtered water is fine.  Note, by the way, I don't worry too much about my wash water either, I just used filtered tap water and warm it up and haven't had a problem except that one time.  If you've made a few gouda's or other washed curd cheeses without problem, then the milk is probably the culprit.

- Jeff

Savu

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Re: Exploding Gouda
« Reply #6 on: July 31, 2014, 09:02:15 AM »
That's the dilemma Jeff, first gouda, which is why I experimented with a smaller version, now I'm gunshy not too sure what to do wait until the spring or just go for it. Probably best to just put it behind me and see what happens though I'll be scrubbing the place clean.

Sailor Con Queso

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Re: Exploding Gouda
« Reply #7 on: July 31, 2014, 01:34:10 PM »
This was NOT caused by coliforms, but most likely Clostridium. There are 2 clues - timing and smell. Coliforms reproduce quickly and will "blow" within 24-36 hours, often while still in the press. Coliforms typically have a fecal odor, Clostridium does not. Clostridiuim are generally introduced as spores, so they can take weeks to "wake up" and start reproducing. Coliforms favor the high lactose environment and warmer temperature during pressing. Clostridium is not as lactose dependent and favors many of the chemical byproducts produced during initial lactose breakdown.

JeffHamm

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Re: Exploding Gouda
« Reply #8 on: July 31, 2014, 06:17:32 PM »
Hi Savu,

I would suggest you give it another go, or maybe try a butterkase (I've had better luck with butterkase myself).  It's also a washed curd but cooked at higher temperatures (uses thermo cultures, I plop in some yogurt, etc) which might help if you're worried.  It's a nice cheese too.  I've made 8 of them, never a problem. 

- Jeff

mohamed

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Re: Exploding Gouda
« Reply #9 on: August 01, 2014, 04:36:45 PM »
1-this type of holes is coliform using google image (name of the bacterium + cheese)
2-each type of bacterium possesses one type of holes and it was not two type of bacterium that produces the same form of holes
3-fecal odor only fresh cheese that passes 24h to accidification but not in the manufacturing process that does not exceed 3h

Spoons

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Re: Exploding Gouda
« Reply #10 on: August 01, 2014, 05:19:55 PM »
Hidri,

Early blowing is usually caused by coliform or yeast in the milk.
Late blowing is usually cause by bacteria of the clostridium family.

In Savu's case, the blowing happened at week 6. Right in the "late blowing" period. So it's clostridium, not coliform

http://books.google.ca/books?id=oaOIT3QdwEQC&pg=PA96&lpg=PA96&dq=coliform+early+blowing&source=bl&ots=qwONhFFBGA&sig=kWC6CTIzW4xhWGR892vvhZLeLaA&hl=en&sa=X&ei=q8rbU7faGtSvyATE9oHQBg&ved=0CDgQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=coliform%20early%20blowing&f=false

mohamed

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Re: Exploding Gouda
« Reply #11 on: August 01, 2014, 05:42:19 PM »
but look at the shape of the holes
is what you have already seen directly in your life these holes ?

est ce que vous pouvez lire en français?
« Last Edit: August 01, 2014, 05:57:51 PM by Hidri Mohamed »

Savu

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Re: Exploding Gouda
« Reply #12 on: August 02, 2014, 04:23:48 AM »
Looks like I've stirred up hornets nest with this question, just to clear things up, I took the cheese out of a plastic bag today it smells like and has the texture of processed cheese (you know the stuff in slices wrapped in plastic) and is as bland as processed cheese, it definitely doesn't have a fecal odour and up until last weekend (last time I checked before it exploded there seemed to be no noticeable swelling and definitely no cracking of the wax coating so I would go with the late blowing but I still don't know where the contamination came from, already in the milk (from silage feeding) or the water supply. If it's the water will boiling kill the clostridium spores as it appears from my reading that pasteurisation doesn't kill them.
Reading further on this forum about adding sodium nitrate in the form of "Prague powder" does anyone know how much to use per 10 litres (about 4.5 gal). I don't want to use nitrate but as I can't find who sells Holdbac locally I might have no alternative, then I might just not bother and hope it doesn't happen again.

Spoons

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Re: Exploding Gouda
« Reply #13 on: August 02, 2014, 05:17:46 AM »
The thing about Holdbac LC is that it only lasts 8 months in the freezer. Its not like other acidifiers that last up to 2 years from production date. Very short life span, even in the freezer.

Sodium nitrate is regulated in most Countries. Sodium nitrate has received some bad rap as a possible carcinogen. It's the same stuff they put in processed meats like salami and hotdogs. In Canada, the use is limited to 200 p.p.m. directly in the milk. Parts per million are a bit confusing for us home cheese makers, I know.

Margaret Morris' book, The Cheesemaker's Manual, recommends using at a rate of 25g / 100 liters. So 2.5g in your case, don't know how that amounts to in ml or teaspoons.

I use 2/3 tsp with my 17.7 litres makes.

One thought that came to mind that I haven't tried yet (on my to-do list), was to make my gouda go through the cheddaring, milling and curd salting process. The early addition of the salt would inhibit the clostridium to produce spores while the cheese is in the cave. I'm just not sure what the outcome of a "cheddared Gouda" would be. Would it be more gouda-like or cheddar-like? Just a thought.


Savu

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Re: Exploding Gouda
« Reply #14 on: August 02, 2014, 08:47:03 AM »
Is that prague powder? As thats 6% sodium nitrite 94% salt. When do you add it, I've read that you can add it in the last wash.