Microbiological, Physico-Chemical, and Biochemical Changes During the Ripening of a Camembert Cheese Made from Pasteurized Cow’s Milk

Abstract

Camembert cheese was manufactured from pasteurized cow’s milk by the traditional method in order to determine the changes in the microflora, physico-chemical, and biochemical characteristics over 30-day ripening period. The total bacteria counts were high in cheese throughout ripening with lactic acid bacteria being the main microbial group both on the surface as well as in the center of the curd. However, the microbial activity is more important on the surface than in the center. Each group of microorganisms showed a typical variation during ripening on the surface and in the center. External heterogenous microflora, with high population of yeast, molds (mainly P. camemberti), and halophilic bacteria, induced a total rate of proteolysis and lipolysis about 1.5 times greater on the surface than in the curd at the end of ripening. Migration of salt from the curd reached equilibration after 23 days of ripening. A faster decrease in the pH of the surface was observed and a gradient of pH between the surface and the center was maintained during the ripening period.