Factors Affecting B-Complex Vitamin Content of Cottage Cheese

Abstract

Cottage cheese contained on the average 257 .mu.g niacin, 24 .mu.g vitamin B6, 2.1 .mu.g vitamin B12 and 40.6 .mu.g folic acid/100 g. In general, the higher the vitamin content of the skim milk, the higher the vitamin content of the resultant cheese curd. The cheese culture synthesized vitamins during the curd setting period. Considerable quantities of vitamins were lost in the whey during the manufacturing process, but 16.0 to 63.7% of niacin, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 was retained in the cheese. Cottage cheese starter culture synthesized vitamin B12 and folic acid actively during the setting period, which resulted in higher concentrations of these vitamins in the cheese curd. The addition of CaCl2 to the skim milk caused an increase in Ca content and a concomitant increase in folic acid content in the cheese. The use of rennet in the process of manufacturing cottage cheese increased its Ca and concomitantly its folic acid content. Such a relationship between Ca and niacin was not observed. A manufacturing process capable of increasing the Ca content of cottage cheese also may increase its folic acid content.