Dairy Science and Food Technology Homepage
Home  Cheese starters Donate support Site  Probiotics Cheese yield  Cheese quality Cheese science  Italian cheese Anti-microbial  proteins  Phages Primary production  Ice cream Wine Calculators  Harvard referencing  Packaging  Jobs
Forum Home Forum Home > Cheese quality > Cheese quality
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - why some goat cheese are covered with ash (charcoa
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login


why some goat cheese are covered with ash (charcoa

 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
Message Reverse Sort Order
childream View Drop Down
Guest Group
Guest Group
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote childream Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: why some goat cheese are covered with ash (charcoa
    Posted: 23 Mar 2010 at 10:44pm
The concentrationof Ca PO4 at the surface exceeds its solubility
at the increased pH and precipitates as a layer
near the surface, thereby causing a Ca PO4
gradient within the cheese (3). Normally about
75% of the Ca and 33% of the PO4 have
migrated from the center to the surface by d 17
(42). The reduction in the Ca PO4 concentration
in the interior helps to soften the body of
the cheese by increased swelling of the protein
(41). The elevated pH stimulates the action of
plasmin. Proteolysis is caused by residual coagulant
and plasmin, rather than proteinases
secreted by the surface microorganisms, which
diffuse into the cheese to only a very limited
extent
Back to Top
Sponsored Links


Back to Top
childream View Drop Down
Guest Group
Guest Group
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote childream Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Mar 2010 at 10:44pm
I find sth more about the role of pH increasing on the surface of cheese e.g Camembert

J. A. LUCEV,P. F. FOX,Importance of Calcium and Phosphate
in Cheese Manufacture: A Review,1993 J Dairy Sci 76:1714-1724

"Camembert Cheese

In Camembert cheese, secondary microorganisms,
especially Geotnchum candidum and
Penicillium caseicolum, quickly colonize the
cheese surface and dominate the existing
microflora. These microorganisms then rapidly
metabolize lactate to C02 and H20, causing an
increase in pH (20), initially at the surface,
resulting in a pH gradient from the surface to
the center, and causing lactate to diffuse outward
(30, 43). When the lactate has been exhausted,
P. caseicolum metabolizes proteins,
producing NH3, which diffuses inward, further
increasing the pH (20, 42). The concentrationof Ca PO4 at the surface exceeds its solubility
at the increased pH and precipitates as a layer
near the surface, thereby causing a Ca PO4
gradient within the cheese (3). Normally about
75% of the Ca and 33% of the PO4 have
migrated from the center to the surface by d 17
(42). The reduction in the Ca PO4 concentration
in the interior helps to soften the body of
the cheese by increased swelling of the protein
(41). The elevated pH stimulates the action of
plasmin. Proteolysis is caused by residual coagulant
and plasmin, rather than proteinases
secreted by the surface microorganisms, which
diffuse into the cheese to only a very limited
extent . The combined action of increased
pH, loss of Ca, and proteolysis is necessary for
the considerable softening of the body of
Camembert cheese (20)."

Back to Top
childream View Drop Down
Guest Group
Guest Group
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote childream Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Mar 2010 at 10:44pm
Great!

Thank you for your explaination and nice pics
Back to Top
zeppa View Drop Down
Guest Group
Guest Group
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote zeppa Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Mar 2010 at 10:43pm
Photo with cheeses and charcoal (by Guido Tallone)






Edited by michael - 06 Apr 2010 at 7:17pm
Back to Top
zeppa View Drop Down
Guest Group
Guest Group
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote zeppa Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Mar 2010 at 10:42pm
The charcoal is used for treatment of cheese surface generally for goat cheeses or cow cheeses produced only with acidification but it is also used in few cases for Parmigiano Reggiano PDO or Grana Padano PDO. It is a treatment used in Italy only by some artisanal cheese-makers according to a technique used in France. I know three reasons for this application. The first is aesthetic: it is very beautiful look a white curd in a black coating. It is even more beautiful if white moulds are developed externally to the charcoal. In this case there are three layers: the white curd, the black charcoal and the white surface with moulds. The second reason is technological: with this treatment an increasing of pH is possible then the mould development is better. This treatment is not used for Camembert or Brie but these cheeses are produced with rennet then surface acidy is lower. With cheeses produced only for milk acidification the surface acidity is very high then a de-acidification treatment can be useful. The third reason is also technological: the charcoal soak up whey then the surface is more dry and the cheese dries more rapidly and better.
I do not know studies about this technique that I think used only by small producers.
Back to Top
childream View Drop Down
Guest Group
Guest Group
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote childream Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Mar 2010 at 10:42pm
yes , I agree with you

there is not ash on camembert nor Brie

Back to Top
michael View Drop Down
Guest Group
Guest Group
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote michael Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Mar 2010 at 10:42pm
I am not sure that I am convinced!

Moulds seem to be able to grow fairly well on acidic cheeses. While ash may well increase surface pH and help growth of moulds I think that the main reason for the continued use of this practice is for marketing reasons.

M
Back to Top
childream View Drop Down
Guest Group
Guest Group
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote childream Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Mar 2010 at 10:41pm
I have found something about ash which is on the surface of goat cheese today

"Carefully, they are ashed with vegetable carbon ash, from poplar trees, which helps to neutralize the acidity of the surface of the cheese. This enables the mold that was added to the milk to grow and form the rind during the aging process."

Image from http://www.vtbutterandcheeseco.com/cheesemaking.html
Back to Top
childream View Drop Down
Guest Group
Guest Group
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote childream Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Mar 2010 at 10:41pm
Thank you
Back to Top
michael View Drop Down
Guest Group
Guest Group
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote michael Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Mar 2010 at 10:41pm
Tong

Salt as you know is very important in cheese making. The ash is simply an alternative to 'commercial' salt. Also it adds something different that helps with marketing these special cheeses.

I ate my first raw milk goat cheeses in Turin in Italy under the guidance of Professor Giuseppe Zeppa. They were delicious!

I have alerted Prof Zeppa to your posting; he has a lot of practical and research experience with artisanal cheeses.

Regards

Mike
Back to Top
childream View Drop Down
Guest Group
Guest Group
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote childream Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Mar 2010 at 10:41pm
This pic is from www.fantomefarm.com 
Cheese being coated with charcoal


Edited by michael - 06 Apr 2010 at 7:07pm
Back to Top
childream View Drop Down
Guest Group
Guest Group
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote childream Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Mar 2010 at 10:40pm
what's the role of charcoal ash on the surface of some goat cheese?

It is said that ash could increase the pH at the surface of cheese,but why they do that?

by reading the artisan series (babcock website ).I have learnt many other ways to transform milk to cheese,especially the artisan in France.

French revere raw milk, which is strictly controlled in USA.
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply
  Share Topic   

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.03
Copyright ©2001-2019 Web Wiz Ltd.