ACCELERATED RIPENING OF MANCHEGO TYPE CHEESE BY ADDED COMMERCIAL ENZYME PREPARATION FROM ASPERGILLUS-ORYZAE

The effect of the addition of an enzyme preparation from Aspergillus oryzae (Flavor Age) on proteolysis and sensory characteristics of Manchego type cheese made from a mixture of ewes' and cows' milk was studied. Proteolysis, as measured by noncasein nitrogen, trichloroacetic acid-soluble nitrogen, sulfosalicylic acid-soluble nitrogen, free amino acids, and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) of casein fraction, increased on adding the enzyme. Neither bitter taste nor off-flavors were detected in the enzyme concentration range used (25-50 mg kg-1 milk). Sensory analysis showed significant differences between estimated age and real ripening time of cheeses made with 50 mg kg-1 of Flavor Age, with significantly higher-quality scores for the cheeses with added enzyme.