PROPERTIES OF DOMIATI CHEESE AS AFFECTED BY BLENDING VARIOUS MILKINGS AND COLD STORAGE OF BUFFALO’S MILK

The effects of mixing milk from different lactations and refrigerating storage of buffalo s milk for 24 or 48 hours on the characteristics of Domiati cheese were studied. Data showed that mixing evening and morning milks with raw or pasteurized cold stored milk increased the yield, TS, fat, salt, TN and decreased the acidity, WSN, NPN and TVFA values of Domiati cheese. Cold storage of raw or pasteurized milk slightly decreased the yield, TS, fat, TN and increased the acidity, salt, WSN, NPN and TVFA contents of the resultant Domiati cheese. Adding evening and morning milks to cold stored milk or cold preservation of raw or pasteurized milk decreased the concentrations of the majority of free amino acids (FAA) of Domiati cheese after 90 days of ripening while slightly increased the counts of total viable bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, psychrophilic bacteria, proteolytic bacteria, lipolytic bacteria, coliform, sporeformers, moulds and yeast of the resultant cheese. Blinding evening and morning milks with cold stored milk slightly increased scores of body, texture and flavour of Domiati cheese. Cold storage of milk had no pronounced effects on body, texture and flavour of cheese.