The effect of curd cutting time and coagulants on the efficiency of cheesemaking

This study evaluated the effects of curd cutting time and milk coagulant type on cheesemaking efficiency using a controlled laboratory cheesemaking model. A total of 240 cheesemaking procedures were performed using 12 bulk raw milk samples from Holstein Friesian cows in 2 experimental trials. In trial 1, 5 curd cutting times, defined relative to the curd firming time (k₂₀) measured by lactodynamographic analysis, were tested (-66%, -33%, actual k₂₀, +50%, and +100%) to assess their effects on 3 cheese yield traits and 4 nutrient recovery traits. In trial 2, the effects of different fermentation-produced chymosins (FPC), including bovine, camel, and alpaca variants, as well as a bovine FPC combined with an acyltransferase, were evaluated with curd cutting standardized at the actual k₂₀. Our findings revealed that curd cutting time significantly affected cheesemaking efficiency, with cutting at the actual k₂₀ maximizing fat and protein recovery and resulting in the highest cheese yield, whereas both earlier and later cutting times increased nutrient losses in whey. The coagulant type significantly influenced cheese yield and nutrient recovery, with bovine chymosin variant produced in Kluyveromyces lactis achieving the highest fat recovery and overall process efficiency. Moreover, the addition of acyltransferase to bovine FPC produced in Trichoderma reesei further enhanced fat and moisture retention compared with FPC alone, leading to improved cheesemaking efficiency. By evaluating these factors under controlled but technologically relevant conditions, these findings have important economic and environmental implications, supporting more sustainable and cost-effective cheese production practices that benefit the dairy industry.