Evaluation of using edible coating and ripening on Dangke, a traditional cheese of Indonesia

Dangke is a traditional soft cheese from Enrekang, South Sulawesi Indonesia which is produced through heat denaturation at 85°C and enzymatic coagulation using papaya latex. The quality, microstructure and storage life of the cheese are affected by several factors such as denaturation temperature, enzyme concentration, moulding pressure, coating, and ripening. The objective of this study was to evaluated of using edible coating and ripening on Dangke cheese. The experiment was conducting using factorial design with five replications. The experimental variables were the type of edible coating used (agar, CMC and bee wax) and the length of ripening (10, 20 and 30 days). Parameter was measured hardness, microstructure, and sensory evaluation. The overall result indicated that the use of edible coating can extend the shelf life, increase hardness, and more compact microstructure. Sensory evaluation also indicated that the cheese coated with film forming edible materials had had white color, more milk like smell (smelly milk), and smoother texture.