A study of the use of 88.7 degrees C. cream dressing on the quality of cottage cheese

Ten lots of cottage cheese were manufactured by the short-set method at the University of Tennessee Dairy Products Plant. Each lot was divided into three treatments which were designated as Treatments I, II, and III. Treatment I consisted of curd cooked to 60° C., dressed with cream of 87.7° C., and stored at 5° C. Treatment II consisted of curd cooked to 60° C., dressed with cream of 5° C., and stored at 5° C. Treatment III consisted of curd cooked to 53.3° C., dressed with cream of 5° C., and stored at 5 C. Each treatment was examined at intervals of 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days for microbiological and organoleptic quality. The objective of this study was to determine the benefits of treating freshly manufactured cottage cheese curd with a cream dressing at a temperature of 87.7° C.

The results of this study indicated Treatment I, curd cooked to 60° C. and treated with cream dressing of 87.7° C., offered an acceptable product which resisted spoilage by psychrophilic and coliform organisms. Yeast and mold growth was significantly (P < 0.05) retarded in Treatment I when compared to counts in Treatment II and Treatment III; however, high populations of yeast and mold organisms were present after 14 days of storage. These high numbers of yeast and mold organisms in Treatment I were probably the cause of low flavor scores.

An analysis of variance of flavor scores revealed a significant difference (P < 0.05) among treatments but no significant (P > 0.05) flavor-age interaction was found; however. Treatment I had the highest mean flavor score at the end of the 28 day storage period.

Body and texture evaluations revealed a preference for Treatment II primarily because of the firmer curd. Treatment I was found to have a softer curd but was preferred significantly (P < 0.05) over Treatment III, the control.

Problems with yeast and mold contamination and the softer curd of Treatment I suggested the need for further study of this method of manufacture.