Ripening is a key stage in the production of continental and Cheddar-type cheeses. It typically takes from three weeks to more than a year, which means it can represent a significant overhead in terms of storage. Nutrilac FastRipe enables companies to cut their storage costs by speeding up the maturation process by anything from one to six weeks, depending on cheese variety.
Nutrilac FastRipe is made with Arla Foods Ingredients’ CH-4560 natural whey protein, which is extracted from cow’s milk. It is supplied as a fully soluble powder that can be dispersed and blended quickly and easily in cheese-milk or water, meaning there’s no need to change the overall manufacturing process in any way.
Once added, Nutrilac FastRipe accelerates the mechanism in cheese that causes it to ripen. It softens the protein matrix in the cheese at an earlier stage to help the cheese reach its ideal texture more quickly, and then breaks down casein molecules at a faster rate than usual to release the volatile compounds that are responsible for developing flavour.
Unlike other ripening agents – such as cultures and enzymes – Nutrilac FastRipe doesn’t break down proteins excessively, which means shelf life isn’t shortened and taste isn’t impaired. In most countries, the ingredient doesn’t need to be declared on the label because it’s derived purely from milk.
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