Manipulation of Dhaka cheese curd and effects on cheese quality

Dhaka cheese is a semihard artisanal variety originating from Bangladesh where manual curd kneading is a normal stage in its manufacture. Dhaka cheeses were produced with different degrees of curd kneading to quantify the curd manipulation process in terms of pressure and to standardise the length of operation. The effect of manipulation on the composition, rheology, texture and microstructure of fresh cheese was also studied. Manipulation had significant effects (P < 0.05–0.001) on most of the parameters studied. One minute of curd manipulation was found to be sufficient for Dhaka cheesemaking

Pressing technique and its effect on the quality of Dhaka cheese

Dhaka cheese is a semihard artisanal variety made mainly from bovine milk, using very simple pressing methods. Experimental cheeses were pressed at gauge pressures up to 31 kPa for 12 h at 24 °C and 70% RH. These cheeses were subsequently examined for their compositional, textural and rheological properties plus their microstructures investigated by confocal laser microscopy. The cheese pressed at 15.6 kPa was found to have the best compositional and structural properties.