ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence the use of homogenization of different proportions of milk--which allow to increase the yield in the process and probably to improve sensorial characteristics of the cheese--has on the ripening of low fat Chanco cheese. Five treatments (three replicates each) were studied, two corresponded to control (normal fat and low fat) and the other three treatments were low fat using partially homogenized milk in the following percentages of the total volume of milk; 12.5, 25 and 50%. Standard methodology was used to monitor the evolution of ripening in terms of moisture, fat and total protein content, ripening index (NS/NT%), lipolysis (ADV), pH, sensorial quality and micro structure of the product. The low fat treatments with homogenized milk showed less fat losses in the whey and consequently increased yields. This study allowed us to know the low fat Chanco cheese maturation profile, low fat treatments with homogenisation showed a higher degree of lipolysis than the non--homogenized low-fat control although it was lower than normal fat control. No differences in terms of the development of proteolysis were observed. The low--fat homogenized treatments did not show improvement in the flavor neither in the cheese firmness probably due to the short ripening period (21 days) of this cheese variety, nevertheless T3 presented some advantages which could be improved applying simultaneously another technological helps.
