PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method of producing natural cheese having quality similar to that of conventional natural cheese, while simplifying or omitting a preliminary maturing process in producing the same.SOLUTION: Upon preparing a lactobacillus starter, lactobacilli are cultivated under a neutralized condition while adding a growth promoter such as a yeast extract and a neutralizing agent into a culture broth to enhance the activity of the starter in producing the acid and to increase the number of lactobacilli. A preliminary maturing process is simplified or omitted by controlling the amount of the starter added into milk for producing cheese, and at the same time, the pH of the milk for producing cheese subsequent to adding rennet thereinto is lowered at an optional speed. The effect of a preliminary maturing process equivalent to a conventional one can be obtained by adding the starter prepared by the method into milk for producing cheese at 3 to 4 wt.%, even if a preliminary maturing process is omitted. The physical property and flavor of resulting cheese curd are as good as those of conventional one.COPYRIGHT: (C)2013,JPO&INPIT【課題】ナチュラルチーズ製造において、前熟工程を簡略化や省略しつつ、従来と同様の品質を保持したナチュラルチーズの製造方法を提供する。【解決手段】乳酸菌スターターを調製する際に、培養液へ酵母エキスなどの増殖促進物質を添加し、さらに中和剤を添加しながら中和培養することで、スターターの酸生産の活性と、乳酸菌数を高める。このスターターのチーズ用乳への添加量を調整することで、前熟工程を簡略化や省略すると同時に、レンネットを添加してからのチーズ用乳のpHを任意の速度で低下させる。上記の方法で調製されたスターターを3~4重量%でチーズ用乳へ添加することで、前熟工程を省略しても従来と同等の前熟の効果が得らる。このとき、チーズカードの物性や風味も従来と同等に良好である。【選択図】図6
