Reduction of Nitrate and Nitrite in Cheese and Nitrate Reducibility of Penicillium candidum as Fungal Starter

Abstract

This work was undertaken to determine the degree of retention in green cheese of nitrate added at the initiation of the cheese making process, and to observe the reduction of nitrate and the formation of nitrite in cheese during the ripening process. Furthermore, in order to understand whether Penicillium candidum inoculated in the manufacturing process as fungal starter are related to the reduction, the effects of microorganisms on the reduction of nitrate and formation of nitrite during ripening in cheese were evaluated. The results were as follows; (1) The retention ratio of nitrate added in the manufacturing process to the green cheese was approximately 7-8% for Gouda cheese and 13-15% for Camembert cheese. There was a close relation between the degree of retention of nitrate added and moisture contents in green Camembert and Gouda cheese. (2) It was found that nitrate reduction and nitrite formation or disappearance in Camembert cheese are more remarkable than those in Gouda and Blue cheese. In general, the maximum nitrite-forming time in Camembert cheese coincided with the time suitable to eat. (3) As a result of comparative experiments with P. candidum culture, it was ascertained that notable reduction of nitrate and nitrite in Camembert cheese during the ripening process may depend on nitrate and nitrite reducibilities derived from P. candidum starter inoculated at the initiation of ripening process.