Acta Scientiarum Polonorum Technologia Alimentaria

Background. White cheese is of great interest for consumption. In Africa, the United States, and Greece, in particular, a significant number of new varieties of this cheese were introduced in 2008. 16.62% of the Moroccan population does not like goat milk because of its intense flavour, which also affects the consumption of products derived from it. Hence, this study aims to develop a white cheese from goat milk by improving the flavour of the cheese to make it more acceptable to the Moroccan population by using different coagulants and olive oil and thyme during ripening.
Materials and methods. Six batches of white cheese made from goat milk were produced in this study and expressed in three groups. Two fresh white cheeses formed the first group: fresh white cheese milk coagulated by a microbial enzyme (MF) and fresh white cheese coagulated by a vegetable enzyme (VF). Marinated white cheese made from goat milk made up the second group; it contained: marinated white cheese with olive oil coagulated by a microbial enzyme (MH) and marinated white cheese with olive oil elaborated by an original plant enzyme (VH). The third group contained: marinated white cheese with olive oil and thyme made by a microbial enzyme (MA) and marinated white cheese in olive oil and thyme coagulated by an original plant enzyme (VA). pH values, moisture, fat content, protein content, and water activity (aw) were the main physicochemical parameters analysed for all the types of cheese studied. All the studied cheeses were analysed for sensorial properties. The sensory evaluation was carried out by 14 panellists formed and explicitly trained on this subject to identify a set of sensory characteristics. An acceptance test was also carried out for all cheeses.
Results. The aromatic effect of olive oil and thyme increased consumer acceptance of the studied white cheese. Thyme had an antimicrobial effect in addition to its aromatic effect, which reduced the value of aw. Marinating the white cheese made from goat milk produced in this study with olive oil and thyme reduced the intensity of the bitter aftertaste and the “goaty” flavour, which was almost non-existent in the white cheeses marinated with thyme. It’s worth noting that the vegetable enzyme also masked the “goaty” flavour. Coagulated white cheeses with the vegetable enzyme were the least hard and easiest to chew and had the most acidic smell and taste compared to those coagulated by the microbial enzyme.
Conclusion. This study presented a new cheese variety of white cheese made from goat milk. All of these cheeses have been characterized physiochemically. A sensory and acceptance analysis of these was also carried out. According to the results, the change in the type of coagulant and the mode of ripening affects the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of the studied cheeses. The aromatic effect of olive oil and thyme increased consumer acceptance of the studied white cheeses. In addition to the aromatic effect of thyme, the latter exhibited an antimicrobial effect, decreasing the value of aw, adding that the use of a plant enzyme as a coagulant masked the “goaty” flavour.