Relationships between cheese-processing conditions and curd and cheese properties to improve the yield of Idiazabal cheese made in small artisan dairies: A multivariate approach.

Very diverse cutting and cooking intensity processes are currently used in small artisan dairies to manufacture Idiazabal cheese. The combination of the technical settings used during cheese manufacturing is known to affect cheese composition and yield, as well as whey losses. However, the information regarding the effect on microstructure and texture of cheese is scarce, especially in commercial productions.

Seasonal changes in the technological and compositional quality of ewe's raw milks from commercial flocks under part-time grazing.

Rennet coagulation parameters, curd texture and gross compositional variables were studied in ewes' raw milk samples from nine commercial flocks using different concentrate:forage ratios and grazing times. From early lactation to March flocks were fed concentrate pellets and hay whereas from April to the end of lactation flocks were allowed to graze from 6 to 19 h/day receiving concentrate supplementation in the morning and evening. Milk from late-lactation flocks, when allowed to graze, showed higher content of fat, dry matter, protein, casein, soluble protein, total calcium, curd firmness and curd resistance to compression than the milk from early lactation flocks.