Table 1. Changes in microbiological and physicochemical properties of three Cheddar cheese samples during storage ripening (0–9 months)

Time (month)	1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9
(week)	2	4	6	8	10	12	14	16	18	20	22	24	26	28	30	32	34	36
Lactic acid bacteria (CFU/g)
Tillamook	7×107	5×107	5×107	2×106	2×106	5×105	3×104	2×104	2×104	7×103	2×103	<100	<100	<100	<10	<10	<10	<10
Hillmar	3×106	2×106	2×106	5×105	4×105	4×104	2×104	2×104	8×103	2×103	<100	<100	<100	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10
Fonterra	4×106	3×106	3×106	2×106	2×106	6×105	3×105	1×105	4×104	3×104	2×103	1×103	<100	<100	<100	<10	<10	<10
Plate count agar (total aerobic bacteria; CFU/g)
Tillamook	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<100	<100	<100
Hillmar	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<100	<100	<100	<100	<10
Fonterra	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<100	<100
Yeast and mold (CFU/g)
Tillamook	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<100	<10	<10
Hillmar	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<100	<10	<10	<10	<10
Fonterra	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10	<10
Coliform bacteria (CFU/g)
Tillamook	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	<10	0	0	0	0	<10	0	0	0	0
Hillmar	0	0	0	0	0	<10	0	0	0	0	<10	<10	0	<10	0	0	0	0
Fonterra	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	<10	0	0	<10	0	0	0	0	0	<10	0
Fat content (%)
Tillamook	34.2	36.1	35.0	35.2	32.5	34.0	33.9	31.5	32.4	33.9	33.6	32.8	33.6	34.2	34.8	35.5	35.6	33.4
Hillmar	34.5	34.0	33.9	34.5	33.2	34.4	34.6	34.8	33.9	34.0	34.1	34.5	33.8	33.7	34.1	33.6	34.8	34.2
Fonterra	35.0	34.8	35.1	35.0	36.6	35.4	34.8	35.7	36.9	33.8	34.2	34.3	34.0	33.9	34.8	34.5	33.7	33.6
pH
Tillamook	5.01	5.10	5.11	5.09	5.08	5.12	5.15	5.09	5.05	5.05	5.11	5.19	5.02	5.00	4.98	5.05	5.10	5.08
Hillmar	5.19	5.20	5.25	5.15	5.12	5.14	5.21	5.23	5.20	5.10	5.11	5.20	5.21	5.25	5.20	5.05	5.09	5.11
Fonterra	5.10	5.08	5.00	5.09	5.15	5.10	5.14	5.15	5.00	5.09	5.04	5.06	5.11	5.12	5.18	5.20	5.15	5.12
Moisture content (%)
Tillamook	32.79	33.15	32.85	32.15	32.42	33.18	34.10	32.55	32.15	32.99	33.18	33.17	33.85	31.95	32.38	33.65	33.02	33.10
Hillmar	34.67	35.19	35.14	35.55	36.10	33.98	34.45	34.10	33.96	35.10	35.28	35.33	36.25	36.45	33.99	34.55	36.10	35.29
Fonterra	30.09	32.50	31.67	31.74	32.55	30.98	30.95	31.78	32.77	33.45	32.19	30.28	32.35	33.36	32.11	32.85	33.14	32.19
Intact casein (%)
Tillamook	23.59	23.12	22.76	22.36	21.94	21.61	21.75	21.42	21.18	20.57	20.29	19.98	19.93	19.82	19.77	19.60	19.46	19.34
Hillmar	22.36	22.14	22.14	21.80	21.35	20.57	20.57	20.21	19.86	19.34	19.03	18.85	18.78	18.67	18.60	18.56	18.54	18.42
Fonterra	22.24	22.06	21.86	21.57	21.39	20.97	20.68	20.64	20.24	19.64	19.33	18.95	18.77	18.59	18.50	18.37	18.24	18.19