How a cheesemaker increased yield by 1.5%

An industrial trial with Maxiren®XDS led to a Gouda cheesemaker increasing yield by 1.5% and saving 1.5 million euros per year while delivering the same high-quality cheese.

Producing high-quality cheese that meets consumer demand, while at the same time maintaining a healthy margin to remain competitive, is quite a challenge. Particular cheeses like mozzarella, Cheddar, Gouda and other continental cheeses have tight specifications on texture, moisture content distribution, sliceability and shreddability. All of these can have a significant impact on productivity and profitability. In addition, taste remains key, and the need for high-quality whey is becoming increasingly important.

Choose the right coagulant to increase yield

Adding a coagulant with an optimal conversion of αs1 casein into a αs1-1 casein is a real advantage. Combining this with a lower overall proteolytic activity to the production process leads to a cheese with increased yield and better moisture distribution. Moreover, it is important to have a coagulant enzyme that is highly specific towards k-casein. In 2014 DSM developed the new fermentation produced chymosin Maxiren®XDS, which soon became the leading coagulant in the cheese industry and still is. A recent trial by a Gouda cheese producer clearly shows why.

Maxiren®XDS excels in full-scale industrial trial

The cheesemaker compared the performance of Maxiren®XDS with a standard non-bovine chymosin during production of a Gouda cheese. Vat size, milk origin, starter culture and treatment, coagulation temperature and coagulation time were kept the same across the two batches. The only difference in conditions was that the cooking temperature of the Maxiren®XDS batch could be lower (34°C instead of 36°C), due to the enhanced properties during ripening. With the same IMCU (International Milk Clotting Unit) dosage, both batches had exactly the same coagulation time and performance in taste, texture and firmness.

The key difference between the two batches was in water content. The cheese produced with Maxiren®XDS had a water content of 43.5%; for the reference cheese the value was 42.0%. A higher water content translates directly into higher yield. In the case of this trial, a highly significant increase in yield of 1.5% was achieved.

Moreover, the cheese production with Maxiren®XDS showed a lower standard deviation in moisture content (Sd 1.3% versus 0.6%) due to more consistent performance during the long industrial production trials. The benefit of this is a more consistent cheese, higher cheese yield and quality, and less cheese waste (due to lower losses with slicing). In short, Maxiren®XDS delivered a higher quality than the reference and with a significant increase in cheese yield. 

Significant ramp-up of profitability

This particular customer has an annual production of 45,000 tons of cheese. By using Maxiren®XDS, the cheesemaker made an annual saving of 1.5 million euro in total, based on both above mentioned effects. A similar effect can be shown in other types of cheeses.

Highest whey quality and reduced bitterness

That’s not all! In addition, Maxiren®XDS optimizes thermolability to give a better whey quality. In Pasta Filata processes the cheese texture improves significantly too, which has been proved in industrial trials. Cheesemakers confirm that they can create up to 15% more slices from their cheese by using DSM’s Delvo®Cheese cultures and Maxiren®XDS. Moreover, customers as well as independent research confirm that bitterness in Cheddar is reduced by up to 15% with Maxiren®XDS compared to traditional bovine chymosin.

Try Maxiren®XDS yourself!

The economic benefits of using Maxiren®XDS are therefore clear, and significant. Whether you produce continental, mozzarella, Cheddar, cottage, white or Swiss cheeses, I would be delighted to provide you with advice or a sample of the appropriate starter culture, adjunct or coagulant. Drop me an email to get in touch!

DSM Solution

DSM’s Maxiren® range provides the proven performance to answer to your needs. This range features a portfolio of 100% pure chymosin enzymes produced by fermentation. Check it out….

Maxiren®XDS: the most advanced fermentation-produced chymosin

This leaflet gives you the highlights of Maxiren®XDS in an easy to read format. 
A real must-read!

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Published on

29 May 2020