Effect of different storage conditions on coagulating properties and cheese quality of Withania coagulans extract.

The effects of different storage conditions on the coagulating properties of extracts of Withania coagulans berries were investigated in terms of coagulation time, pH and quality attributes of cheese prepared from buffalo milk. The extracts were stored under different conditions, viz. room temperature (27 ± 3 °C), refrigerated storage (4 °C), frozen storage (−20 °C) and lyophilisation. The milk‐coagulating activity of the plant extracts was measured on a fortnightly basis for a period of 5 months. There was a nonsignificant change in pH and the milk coagulating properties of the lyophilised extract. Physiochemical analysis revealed that cheese prepared with lyophilised extract retained the highest content of ash (2.3%), fat (23.8%), total solids (48.7%) and crude protein (22.7%), and resulted in the highest cheese yield (17.6%) compared to other tested treatments. Thus, it is concluded that lyophilisation has good potential for storage of vegetable extract coagulants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]