From The Cheese Reporter:
LYSOLAC, which is made of Lysozyme, has been used as a natural antimicrobial enzyme in foods and pharmaceuticals for over 30 years.
Extracted from the hen egg white without the use of solvents, Lysozyme food-grade is a completely non-toxic and highly effective natural preservative which protects against many spoilage microorganisms, such as the Clostridia tyrobutyricum spore responsible for “late blowing” in cheese, according to Bioseutica USA, Inc., Rhinebeck, NY, which markets LYSOLAC in the US.
“It is used to prevent late blowing, which is due to bacterium in the cheese,” said Gilles Lagarde, executive vice president business development and regulatory affairs for Bioseutica plc. “The defect occurs during the ripening stages of the cheese.”
These bacteria have the properties that produce a lot of gas which causes late blowing, as well as bad flavors and bad smells, Lagarde said.
Added to the cheese vat during filling, LYSOLAC binds to the casein to remain in the curd and within the cheese for years, protecting while improving the natural, organoleptic aspects of the cheese, the company explained.
“Lysozyme is a protein that has a strong positive charge, so when it is put in milk and mixes with the casein, which has a negative charge, the Lysozyme binds with the casein,” Lagarde explained. “Therefore it does not affect the whey in any way. In fact with LYSOLAC the whey is highly sought for its use in applications such as infant formula.”
LYSOLAC is already very popular in the European cheesemaking industry, according to Bioseutica USA; 99 percent of the Italian Grana Padano and 85 percent of France’s hard cheese industry uses Lysozyme.
“It is well used in Italy where they use it systematically with the hard cheeses there,” Lagarde noted.
Lagarde said LYSOLAC is perfect for any cheese where extensive ripening is used and there is a heavy risk of loss.
“They use LYSOLAC because they cannot afford to age the cheese and find out the spores have caused the cheese to blow,” Lagarde said. “If it does, all you can do with it is for grated cheese and the loss is enormous.”
He also said LYSOLAC is used on high pH soft cheeses like Brie.
“The higher the pH,” Lagarde said, “the higher the chance for Clostridia to occur. Any cheese, except for the fresh cheeses.”
Affirmed as Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 10 years ago, LYSOLAC is also USDA-approved for use in organic products and available certified Kosher and Halal. Products containing LYSOLAC are required to put “egg white lysozyme” on the ingredient listing by the FDA.
Extensive studies over the years have demonstrated Lysozyme is effective against a variety of microorganisms, including Clostridia, lactic acid bacteria, Listeria, Streptococcus thermophilus and Clostridium tyrobutyricum.
Lysozyme is described as a pure, white microcrystalline, odorless powder with a slightly sweet taste. Lysozyme activity is demonstrated to be effective by attacking the cell wall polysaccharide of different bacterial species, which leads to a breakdown of the cell wall and destruction of the microorganisms.
Granular LYSOLAC has a shelf life of two years when maintained dry and at moderate temperature. Mixing a solution in the cheese plant is said to be simple and requires a minimum of 15 minutes imbibing time prior to addition to the vat.
LYSOLAC 22 percent solution has a shelf life of one year, and can be stored in the refrigator once opened. For more information about LYSOLAC, contact Bioseutica USA, at (845) 876-8616.
Marcella The Cheesemonger ACS CCP
It's All About Cheese, Baking, Binge TV, Poker and Anything Else That Captures My Fancy… In Other Words "It's All About Me"
