Cheese | Enzyme-Modified Cheese

This article deals principally with the technology of enzyme-modified cheese (EMC) manufacture and outlines the basis of the current EMC manufacturing processes with an emphasis on the role of emulsification of substrate and the use of exogenous enzymes to develop an intense EMC flavor. Overall, the EMC technology delivers high-intensity cheese flavors for inclusion into a wide range of processed consumer foods. EMC technology has developed from studies of cheese flavors produced using a curd slurry technique. The original EMC process involved mixing fresh curd and NaCl solution to make an emulsion of approximately 40% solids. Enzymes and preservatives were added, and the slurry was incubated at 30 °C for 4–5 days with daily agitation, after which the characteristic cheese flavors were developed. This work demonstrated the potential for rapidly generating a range of intense cheese flavors from cheese substrates by modification of process parameters. The basic manufacturing process for EMC as outlined in this article still involves the use of cheese curd substrates, which are heat-treated, emulsified, and incubated with exogenous proteinases, peptidases, and lipases, and finally heat-inactivated. In common with natural cheese, EMC flavors are generated through the proteolytic and lipolytic pathways, but in a physicochemical environment that differs markedly from that of natural cheese. The degree of protein and lipid hydrolysis in EMC is generally much higher than that found in natural cheese. Lipolysis in particular appears to play a significant role in the generation of flavor and aroma in EMC, which is in contrast to the case of natural cheese varieties such as Cheddar and Gouda, where the role of lipolysis is less clear. Despite the economic importance of this product range, there is a lack of detailed published information on the mechanisms of flavor development and the role of individual enzymes and starter cultures in the development of EMC flavor. In this article, new and emerging applications for EMCs are highlighted, including their use in acceleration of natural Cheddar cheese ripening and their potential as a source of bioactive peptides.