Effect of Commercial Microorganisms on Physicochemical, Microbiological and Sensory Properties of Goat Brie Cheese

Abstract

Goat Brie cheese is a highly nutritious dairy product suitable for individuals with cow milk allergy. The starter culture plays a crucial role in cheese processing and storage. Lactic acid bacteria are important in goat cheese production. The objective of this research was to investigate the effect of lactic acid bacteria starter culture on the physicochemical, microbiological and sensory properties of goat Brie cheese. Three types of goat Brie cheese were produced from goat milk using different starter cultures as follows: control (cheese culture and Penicillium candidum), T1 (Geotrichum candidum, P. candidum, Lactococcus lactis, and Streptococcus thermophilus), and T2 (G. candidum, P. candidum, and L. lactis). Analyses of the aforementioned parameters of the goat Brie cheeses were performed on days 1, 12, and 30. On day 30 of storage, all three goat Brie cheese treatments led to increased pH and reduced acidity. Aged goat cheese contained less water, but more protein and fat leading to change in texture, color, and sensory properties. T1 goat cheese had increased hardness, chewiness and yellowness value. Furthermore, its preference ratings for color, goat milk odor, hardness, salty flavor, sweet taste, sour taste, and aftertaste than those of the other goat Brie cheese formulae. Throughout their shelf lives, all three types of goat Brie cheese had an increasing quantity of total bacteria, yeast, and lactic acid bacteria. When goat Brie cheese had a long shelf life, lactic acid bacteria affected cheese texture, color, and consumer sensory rating. Therefore, use of Streptococcus thermophilus as a co-starting culture in goat Brie cheese production could make older goat Brie cheese more acceptable than goat Brie cheese formulae.