Arla Foods Launches Cheese-Ripening Product

VIBY J, DenmarkArla Foods Ingredients launched Nutrilac^® FastRipe, a natural milk protein that enables cheese producers to reduce ripening times without negatively impacting product quality or shelf life.

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 anywhere 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 cows 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 is 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 flavor. Nutrilac^® FastRipe does not break down proteins excessively, which means shelf life is not shortened and taste is not impaired. In most countries, the ingredient does not need to be declared on the label because it is derived purely from milk.

Nutrilac^® FastRipe is suitable for use in a wide range of natural cheeses, including gouda, edam, manchego, Cheddar and port salut.