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GENERAL CHEESE MAKING BOARDS (Specific Cheese Making in Boards above) => Problems - Questions - Problems - Questions? => Topic started by: Tiarella on June 03, 2013, 08:36:17 PM

Title: Can I reuse brine that was used for blue cheese?
Post by: Tiarella on June 03, 2013, 08:36:17 PM
After brining my blue experiment I am wondering if boiling my brine will render it okay for using with other cheeses that I don't want to contaminate with blue.  I'm sure many of you know the answer to this question...
Any helpful hints for me?   :D
Title: Re: Can I reuse brine that was used for blue cheese?
Post by: bbracken677 on June 03, 2013, 09:28:21 PM
I am sure that boiling it will render it safe and you can top off the salt while doing it.  That will make sure you have a saturated brine.
Title: Re: Can I reuse brine that was used for blue cheese?
Post by: Schnecken Slayer on June 03, 2013, 09:37:48 PM
I found a article that says it can be killed as low as 55C 
http://books.google.com.au/books?id=O_vk-bZYGr4C&pg=PA46&lpg=PA46&dq=Penicillium+roqueforti+heat+treatment&source=bl&ots=tLXowJ6cnv&sig=QpQzInH0BNlm9JY2TGJxZ0_K9ZQ&hl=en&sa=X&ei=0wutUcTHBqu4iAfd1IC4Cw&ved=0CDkQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=Penicillium%20roqueforti%20heat%20treatment&f=false (http://books.google.com.au/books?id=O_vk-bZYGr4C&pg=PA46&lpg=PA46&dq=Penicillium+roqueforti+heat+treatment&source=bl&ots=tLXowJ6cnv&sig=QpQzInH0BNlm9JY2TGJxZ0_K9ZQ&hl=en&sa=X&ei=0wutUcTHBqu4iAfd1IC4Cw&ved=0CDkQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=Penicillium%20roqueforti%20heat%20treatment&f=false)
Title: Re: Can I reuse brine that was used for blue cheese?
Post by: linuxboy on June 03, 2013, 09:53:45 PM
Yes, fine. Boil for 15-20 mins to be sure. Sporulation can happen in blues, need extended heat time to kill
Title: Re: Can I reuse brine that was used for blue cheese?
Post by: Tiarella on June 04, 2013, 02:08:07 AM
Thanks so much!  I'll make sure to boil it 15-20 minutes.  tomorrow.  Back to barn to sleep now.

Busy day here today.  6 baby goats born in 1 hour.  Good thing Joseph was available to help out.  I don't think I could have managed by myself and the mothers have trouble when they have three.....it's hard to get all of them dried off and nursing.
Title: Re: Can I reuse brine that was used for blue cheese?
Post by: Boofer on June 04, 2013, 01:44:39 PM
6 baby goats born in 1 hour.
Holy cow! goat!

Busy, busy.... :P

-Boofer-
Title: Re: Can I reuse brine that was used for blue cheese?
Post by: Tiarella on June 04, 2013, 03:25:11 PM
Check out the goat photos on the "Want to share a snapshot of your life there and now?" thread.  I just posted 2 photos.  They are way too cute to resist.  And they grow up and produce milk to make cheese!  What's not to like?
Title: Re: Can I reuse brine that was used for blue cheese?
Post by: smilingcalico on June 06, 2013, 04:47:45 AM
Hey Linux,
  Remember the discussion with Neville we talked about using brines for bloomies and smear ripened, both having milk inoculated.  The resultant cheeses aren't cross contaminated because the pH and salinity are just too harsh.  I know blue is a different beast, but is it that much of a Big Bad Voo Doo Daddy?
Title: Re: Can I reuse brine that was used for blue cheese?
Post by: linuxboy on June 06, 2013, 05:34:21 AM
Blues and whites can both protect spores in a shell. In practical use with saturated brine, it's not a huge issue. If the blue load is heavy, those spores can survive. As always, lethality curve depends on contact time and temp combined with initial CFUs.