Author Topic: Additives To Control Unwanted Microorganisms  (Read 3107 times)

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Additives To Control Unwanted Microorganisms
« on: August 29, 2009, 05:27:44 PM »
The following post and discussion is split off thise thread where Sailor Con Queso & John (CH) were discussing concerns of unwanted spores in adding boiled/softened Caraway Seeds to cheeses . . .
« Last Edit: September 10, 2009, 10:58:01 PM by Webmaster »

Sailor Con Queso

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Re: Additives To Control Unwanted Microorganisms
« Reply #1 on: September 10, 2009, 01:51:23 AM »
I'm sure the way you doing it is fine. I just don't like the idea of putting overly moist things into the middle of my cheese. To me that's a great hiding place for mold spores or bad bacteria. If dried items rehydrate themselves they are just absorbing excess whey that's already there.


Cheese Head

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Re: Additives To Control Unwanted Microorganisms
« Reply #2 on: September 10, 2009, 10:26:42 AM »
Sailor, good point.

Sailor Con Queso

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Re: Additives To Control Unwanted Microorganisms
« Reply #3 on: September 10, 2009, 01:50:09 PM »
Just for reference, pasteurization or even boiling for short periods kills active organisms, but does NOT always kill spores. These can suddenly come to life well into the cheese aging stage. There are apparently a couple of additives that the pros use to prevent spoilage during late aging, but I can't remember what they are.

Francois - any insight?

linuxboy

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Re: Additives To Control Unwanted Microorganisms
« Reply #4 on: September 10, 2009, 04:54:24 PM »
L rhamnosus or potassium nitrate are commonly used for spore control. L paracase and propionic are for yeasts, heterofermentive lactic bacteria and mold. Natamycin is the general antimicrobial, but usually used more for rinds.

Sailor Con Queso

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Re: Additives To Control Unwanted Microorganisms
« Reply #5 on: September 10, 2009, 05:14:03 PM »
How is the Natamycin used? Is it added to the starter, later to the cut curds, or sprayed onto the rind?

Do the pros routinely add all of these? How do they decide what needs controlling? There's a fine line between controlling the bad bugs and killing off the good.

linuxboy

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Re: Additives To Control Unwanted Microorganisms
« Reply #6 on: September 10, 2009, 07:18:32 PM »
I've only known Nat to be used externally after the cheese is formed. Possibilities here are before brining, after brining, after a few weeks of aging, or after extended aging to prevent/halt further mold development. It's either sprayed on or the cheese is dipped in a solution.

The use of these additives vary, but are more common in large operations where one ruined batch could cost 50K. AOC/DOP cheeses can't have additives, and artisan makers also tend to stay away from them.