Enzyme

Good day, Mr. Jelínek,

Could you please explain the term "enzyme" in relation to the fermentation process? Do all types of cheeses, such as mozzarella, ricotta, and edam, fall under fermented dairy products? Furthermore, what is the difference between a sour and a fermented product? And between fermented and sterilized? Has something only been added to the sterilized product, such as specific preservatives for longer shelf life, but no probiotic cultures...? Thank you very much for your response.

Enzymes are protein-based substances produced by microorganisms. Enzymes determine whether fermentation will occur (= thanks to enzymes, organic substances are transformed during fermentation). The quality and speed of the fermentation processes depend on the types of enzymes produced by the microorganisms.

A fermented product is one that has undergone fermentation (aging) - Edam cheese is fermented, whereas mozzarella and ricotta are mostly not intentionally fermented (though there are exceptions). However, the situation with dairy products is more complicated because there is a preliminary aging process during milk processing, curdling, shaping, and pressing, using so-called primary cultures (microorganisms naturally present in the food), which affect the structure and consistency of the product.

The terms "fermented" and "soured" are synonyms, meaning they have the same significance. A fermented product must go through the fermentation process, whereas sterilization is a process of heat preservation. However, many fermented foods are commonly processed by sterilization.