When fresh milk is scarce,functional milk proteins make the best of cheese
One of Mexico’s leading producers of yellow cheese is experiencing how a functional milk protein can boost cheese yield and improve quality, making it moister and more appealing to local consumers.
NUTRILAC^®CH 4560 fills an important niche in Mexico and other countries where fresh milk is in short supply and the raw materials for cheese production tend to be imported caseinate, milk powder and milk protein concentrate. Capable of binding water six times its own weight, the functional milk protein can increase yield by 8-10% and enhance the typically dry texture of cheese based on powder milk ingredients.

Clean-label process
The move to NUTRILAC^®CH 4560 enables the clean-label production of Mexican cheddar and manchego cheese without any need for water-binding hydrocolloids such as guar gum, carrageenan and starch. In addition to higher yield and quality, the milk protein gives a series of processing benefits. A more solid coagulant is obtained, and the amount of dry matter remaining in the whey is noticeably reduced.
While several more Mexican cheese manufacturers are testing NUTRILAC^® CH 4560 for its yield and quality-enhancing properties, others are testing the milk protein in recipes for cheese with a reduced fat content. A campaign promoting its benefits in low-fat cheese is currently underway on selected markets.
NUTRILAC^® CH 4560 has significant potential in Mexico, where cheese production totalled 142,000 tonnes in 2005. Whether for yield improvement or fat reduction, this functional milk protein is proving a highly flexible tool.