Some parameters to process camel milk into cheese

Cheese from camel milk was never produced by traditional way. However, Hansen (Denmark) delivered recently new coagulant agent named “Chy-Max M” containing transgenic camel chymosine. In the present study, impact of calcium, lactation stage and curd acidification were investigated. Camel milk was shared into 6 samples (100g each) submitted to 3 types of treatment (1. calcium chloride solution (500 g/L diluted 1/10 water); 2. powder of calcium phosphate; 3. no calcium) and 2 temperatures (20°C/36°C). Rennet 50 μL/L (ChyMax) was added in all samples. Milk coagulation was faster at 36°C and renneting pH lower. No difference in clotting time and curd firmness after calcium addition was observed. The curd firmness at 36°C was stronger than at 20°C. For measuring impact of lactation stage, coagulation capacity and curd yield on milk was tested in milk provided by one camel from 12 to 25 day postpartum. Milk was coagulated by Chy-Max (50 μL/L/20°C). No coagulation was observed in the first days of experiment. Then curd start to be formed, but with low yield. The curd was correct and ready to use for cheese making only from the 20 day post-partum. Acidification of camel cheese curd without starters was measured at 20°C and 36°C during 10 hours. Milk pH and curd pH were measured during all cheese processing. At the beginning, milk pH was 6.38 whatever the temperature. Acidification was faster at 36°C than at 20°C. At the time of coagulation, pH of 20°C curd was 5.80 vs 5.08 at 36°C.