The means of cheese ripening has direct influence on its organoleptic characteristics. Modern consumer would easily distinguish the flavour of cheese which ripened naturally. The treatment of the rind plays a crucial role in natural ripening. A cheese coating enhances the quality of the natural ripening by offering protection against fungi and yeasts. The cheese coating also improves the appearance of semi-hard and hard cheeses, making them appealing to consumers.

CSK food enrichment offers a wide selection of cheese coating under the Ceska®-coat brand name.

Product description, composition and characteristics  (WL type):

CSK’s cheese coating is based on high quality aqueous synthetic dispersions. These do not contain any weakeners. Ceska®-coat is suitable for the surface treatment of semi-hard and hard cheeses. CSK food enrichment offers following coatings:

            - with or without inhibitors against yeast

            - in a wide range of colours including a variety of yellow tones (annatto or carotene), black, white, green, red etc.

Properties and advantages:

As soon as it is applied to cheese, Ceska®-coat forms transparent bright film with a number of important properties and advantages:

            - protects the rind against mechanical and microbiological damage

            - limits and reduces excessive weight loss (dehydration) without influencing the ripening process

            - standardizes the quality of cheese

            - promotes ripening: positive influence on the flavour and texture of the cheese

            - has excellent gas permeability(carbon dioxide, oxygen, etc.), except water vapour

            - protection during transport and storage; option to add paraffin layer to Ceska®-coat

            - improves the presentation of the cheese, choice of labels

Coating:

Ceska®-coat is suitable for use with the so-called flapping machine or for application with a sponge.

The quality of cheese is determined by conditions of ripening process and the right choice of coating. Most important conditions for ripening are temperature, humidity and air exchange. Standard conditions for Gauda and  Edam:

            - temperature: 12-14°С

            - humidity: 85%

            - air speed 0,2 m/s

 

In application it’s important to

            -  treat cheese as quickly as possible after extraction from salting tank to prevent growing of surface microflora;

            - dry coated cheese as soon as possible during first treatment after salting to prevent weight loss;

            - to remember that coating consumption depends on cheese type;

            - take into account that coating rate depends on several facts. Most important are type of cheese, it’s age, cleanness of the surface, temperature and relative humidity in cheese storage, coating  type(with  or without fungicide).