Camembert cheese processing

Camembert is a tiny hamlet that was made famous back in 1791 by Marie Harel, a farmer from Normandy. For a long time, Camembert cheese was only produced in the Normandy region according to a traditional cheese-making process. This traditional process is mainly characterized by the use of whole raw cow's milk, by the absence of microbial inoculation of the milk, and by the manual, cottage-type techniques used.

Milk preparation consists mainly in the standardization of the fat and protein content, generally fixed at 29 and 35 g/l, respectively. Thermal treatment often consists of milk pasteurization or thermisation. After milk maturation and rennet addition, the classical cheese process begins: milk, coagulation, curd hardening, curd cutting and whey draining take place successively. Rennet is added at about pH of 6.4 and coagulation occurs for 30-45 min.

Coagulation of the milk protein is typically obtained through the combined action of microbial acidification and proteases (e.g. rennet) at an appropriate coagulation temperature. The coagulum is transferred to the moulds and allowed for whey drainage starting at 26 –28 ºC and gradually cooled to 20 ºC. At this stage, a curd with pH of 4.6-4.7 and low mineral content is obtained. Curd molding, which performed manually in the traditional process and mechanical in modern plants gives the Camembert its shape.

For Camembert ready for consumption, the ripening procedure to develop flavour and body characteristics is normally from 10 days at 10–16 °C depending on the extent of maturity required. Alternative ripening conditions (including the addition of ripening enhancing enzymes) may be used, provided the cheese exhibits similar physical, biochemical and sensory properties as those achieved by the previously stated ripening procedure.
Camembert cheese processing