MODELING THE RIPENING DEGREE AND BIOREACTOR DESIGN OF TULUM CHEESE RIPENING BY PENICILLIUM ROQUEFORTI IMMOBILIZED IN SOLID-STATE BIOREACTOR

Modeling the ripening degree and bioreactor design was done for tulum cheese fermentation in batch-packed solid state fermentation (SSF) processes by using toxic and nontoxic strains of Penicillium roqueforti. Water soluble protein and ripening degree were evaluated to determine the bioreactor performances. The calculated kinetic constants and the statistical analysis showed that the batches of SSF reactor ripened with nontoxic strains of P roqueforti at 12 degrees C gave the highest values of soluble protein and, consequently, ripening degree and highest productivity yield. The highest productivity yield of ripening degree was recorded in SSF reactor with a lipid content of 6.45%, acidity of 0.64%, pH of 6.29 and nontoxic strains of P roqueforti at 12 degrees C.