Industrial yield, manufacturing efficiency and physical and chemical characteristics of colonial cheese produced from milk with two levels of somatic cells

ABSTRACT From two somatic cells count levels (SCC) of the milk used as raw material, the influence on the yield and cheese-making efficiency of colonial cheese was determined on an industrial scale. Both SCC levels were formed from milk received by the industry, being low SCC (<500.000 cells/mL) and high SCC (≥500.000 cells/mL), and seven batches of cheese were produced for each level. The yield was evaluated as simple yield (liters of milk/kg of cheese produced) and dry yield (liters of milk/kg of total solids of cheese produced). The cheese-making efficiency was evaluated by the loss of solids in cheese whey. Multivariate analysis showed a relationship between high SCC and decrease in simple and dry colonial cheese yield, which also had lower manufacturing efficiency, without altering the composition of the cheese. Moreover, data on the physical and chemical characteristics of colonial cheese were determined, that does not have Technical Regulation of Identity and Quality. We conclude that the quality of milk has a direct influence on the production of cheeses and, when using raw materials with high SCC, the industry takes the costs of worsening in performance and manufacturing efficiency in colonial cheese.