Cheddar Cheese from Water Reconstituted Retentates

Reconstituted creamed retentates of ultrafiltration were converted to ripened cheese by Cheddar manufacturing principles. Initially, the fresh cheeses resembled normal Cheddar but during ripening were transformed into Gouda-Swiss types with pH rising rapidly from 5.2 to approximately 6.0. Cheese composition was affected by amount of full fat retentate in reconstituted mixtures. As total milk solids increased in reconstituted retentates, cheese moisture decreased and cheese volume rose to high yields. Cheese yield efficiency showed 1.21 to 1.32kg cheese per kg total solids. Rennet curd of higher total solids retentates formed more rapidly than normal, and curds were harder. Whey from retentate reconstituted cheeses showed relatively low ash and fat even from cheeses made with high retentate. Soluble protein in 2-mo-old cheeses held at 10° C was lower in cheese from retentates of high solids.