Abstract
This study was carried out to elucidate the utility of fusant for shortening the ripening time of imitation processed cheese. L. bulgaricus exhibited the highest protease and lactase activity and L. helveticus revealed the highest lipase activity. Fusant was shown to be high in the activity of protease and lactase. The total volatile free fatty acid produced by the cheese treated with L. helveticus was markedly increased after four ripening days and was gently increased after nine ripening days. However, L. bulgaricus significantly increased the total volatile free fatty acid between four and nine ripening days. In the case of fusant, the amount of total volatile free fatty acid was observed to increase at a constant rate relative to the ripening time. In free fatty acid production at different ripening times, L. bulfaricus generated caproic acid and caprilic acid abundantly while it produced a poor quantity of capric acid, lauric acid, and myristic acid. In the cheese sample treated with L. helveticus, the amount of caproic acid and capylic acid was on increase as the ripening time increased. The amount of caproic acid and caprylic acid produced by fusant was less than that produced by the other two starters. In the panel sensory evaluation, the flavor intensity and preference increased as the ripening time increased. The cheese sample treated with fusant showed the highest flavor intensity at 7 days, whereas cheese treated with L. helveticus exhibited the highest flavor intensity at 15 or 30 days. The cheese treated with L. helveticus showed the highest preference at 7 days, but cheese treated with fusant exhibited the highest preference at 30 days.
