Turkey-based non-profit research organisation Soley Biotechnology Institute has discovered a method to increase the shelf-life of cheese by three to 10 times, after a four-year study with $20m funding.
The research institute was working on finding a method to prevent water penetration into cheese that does not have high salinity in order to prevent microbial formation on cheese.
Aim of the research was to find a formula which would only attach to cheese surface without penetrating into cheese to protect it.
Soley's four-year research has resulted in X-12 protection-water which contains natural compounds by using nanotechnology.
According to Soley, X-12 induced water can cover the entire surface area of cheese by creating a layer over it and prevents it from decay by forming a barrier between air and the surface of cheese. There would not be decay of cheese too caused by storing it in brine water for too long.
Due to its nanobiological substances, X-12 sticks only to the cheese texture or calcium molecules, which makes the use of brine water redundant.
X-12 product uses some organic nano-wire kind of substances and forms a matrix-like gel binder solution. Some organic preservatives and organic antioxidants were added into the matrix gel.
When x-12 is added to water, it forms a barrier which works only on the cheese surface. Hence, cheese producers do not have to use high salinity brine to deal with shelf life issues and for better cheese protection.
Soley claims that X-12 prevents deterioration of cheese, provides isolation by covering all surfaces of cheese, prevents excessive water absorption, protects cheese from fungi and bacteria, preserves shape of cheese.
It also claimed to prevent its outer surface shedding, protects it from harmful UV rays, preserves taste of cheese, prevents loss of calcium and protein in cheese, prevents rusting and swelling problems, prevents faulty hole formations and tissue formations.
Image: Soley claims that X-12 prevents deterioration of cheese. Photo: Courtesy of Soley.