Enzyme modified cheese production with a one-stage production technique

Enzyme modified cheese (EMC) is the product obtained by processing fresh cheese with enzymatic treatments under controlled conditions to improve or intensify cheese flavor. EMC as a natural flavor additives are used to give or enhance cheese flavor in the formulations of various foods. The basis of EMC production; is based on the incubation of milk, cheese curd or fresh cheese with exogenous enzymes and/or microorganisms. EMC can be produced with three different production techniques. One of these methods is the "one-stage production technique". This method has advantages in terms of time, cost and industrial applicability; however, process control and optimization are considered as a production technique that is relatively more difficult than other methods. EMC production techniques and production parameters are important to obtain an EMC product with the desired flavor and stability. In this thesis, EMC in white cheese flavor was produced with the "one-stage production technique" and the processing conditions in the production were optimized. The thesis work consists of two stages. In the first stage, the effects of processing conditions in production on the EMC properties and the importance levels of the effects were investigated. At the end of the first stage, the 3 process conditions with the highest impact on the EMC properties; incubation temperature (range 30-60 °C), incubation agitation speed (range 50-250 rpm), and incubation time (12-48 hours). In the second stage, the optimization of the selected process conditions was carried out using the response surface method. The response targeted in the optimization and the criteria for the response; the minimum value for ratio of nitrogen soluble in trichloroacetic acid to water soluble nitrogen (TCASN/WSN), the maximum value for free amino acid ındex (FAAI), the maximum value for total free fatty acids, the minimum value for total volatile free fatty acids, the maximum value for total volatile, and the highest value for sensory similarity to ripened white cheese were determined. Optimum processing conditions were determined as 46.8 ℃ incubation temperature, 205 rpm agitation speed, 34 hours 42 minutes incubation time in EMC production with one-stage production technique. The optimization has been verified. It was determined that there was no statistically significant difference (P>0.05) between the experimental data obtained as a result of the validation and the estimated values in the model created in the optimization. In this study, it is aimed to produce an EMC with ripened white cheese flavor, which has been previously produced and production optimized via "two-stages production technique", by using "one-stage production technique". As a result of the study, EMC in targeted flavor characteristics was produced by using "one-stage production technique" and production was optimized. EMC in white cheese flavor was produced in a shorter time with the one-stage production technique compared to the two-stage production technique.