Butyric Acid in Romano

Started by Possum-Pie, May 11, 2024, 07:29:49 PM

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Possum-Pie

I made a Romano back in the Autumn. It cured in my cheese cave at about 50 F. for a month or so, then I shrink vacuum packed it and let it age 7 months. I opened it today and it smelled like Romano, but cutting it and tasting was horrible. It was exactly like stomach acid from vomit. I Googled it and believe that it is Butyric acid.  Is there any way to correct it at this point? I like smelly cheese including Parm., Romano, even Linburger but this is SO much like eating vomit that I can't think of a use for it.  If it isn't dangerous to eat, maybe LONG smoking of it may cover that flavor, but I doubt it.
Update, after shredding a bit and letting it sit in a dish for an hour, it smells much more like romano. BUT it still is too sour tasting. I think I shouldn't have vacuum packed it b/c it isn't dry/crumbly like store bought. Maybe I'll let it further age open to air.

Aris

Did you add lipase? I read cheese with too much lipase is going to get worse the longer you age it. Too sour tasting means your Romano over acidified. Romano for me is salty, savory and no sourness.

Possum-Pie

Quote from: Aris on May 12, 2024, 09:15:27 AMDid you add lipase? I read cheese with too much lipase is going to get worse the longer you age it. Too sour tasting means your Romano over acidified. Romano for me is salty, savory and no sourness.

No lipase. Upon opening the vacuum pack, it was overwhelming "stomach acid" although after sitting on counter for a while, it smelled more like traditional Romana/Parm. It still tastes nasty. I also realized that vacuum sealing it didn't allow it to dry out to the crumbly texture Romano has. Can I sit it uncovered in my cheese cave longer to allow it to dry more? is the Butyric acid unsalvagable?

Aris

The butyric acid flavor is strange. Did you use raw milk? It might be caused by clostridium tyrobutyrichum which produce butyric acid. Did your cheese develop internal slits/cracks and big holes? I've made a grana style cheese before that had a butyric acid flavor because I used dirty raw milk. I just fed it to my dogs. Yeah, you can age it at 70-80% humidity to dry it more.

Possum-Pie

Quote from: Aris on May 13, 2024, 11:51:31 AMThe butyric acid flavor is strange. Did you use raw milk? It might be caused by clostridium tyrobutyrichum which produce butyric acid. Did your cheese develop internal slits/cracks and big holes? I've made a grana style cheese before that had a butyric acid flavor because I used dirty raw milk. I just fed it to my dogs. Yeah, you can age it at 70-80% humidity to dry it more.

I did not use raw milk. As I mentioned, the STRONG vomit smell when I opened the vacuum pack has changed to a more classic romano/parm. smell, certainly not pleasant, but not strong. Unfortunately, the taste hasn't improved. I'm going to age open in my cheese cave to see If I can "mellow" it. It is horrible to wait 7 months for something to be inedible. My "go-to"fix for cheeses that taste strange is usually putting them in my cold smoker for several hours, smoked cheese usually covers other flavors. I really wanted this for grating on pasta though, not smoking.