The cheese-making suitability of milk depends on several factors, including the genetic potential of dairy cattle and environmental conditions. This article examines the systemic relationships between animal genotype, molecular regulatory mechanisms, environmental factors, and processing technologies. A comprehensive analysis of these elements allows for the formulation of practical measures to ensure stable raw material quality. Genetic factors serve as the primary and limiting condition: breed and gene polymorphism significantly influence the composition, structure, and functional properties of milk proteins and fats. These genes include κ-casein (CSN3), β-casein (CSN2), αs1-casein (CSN1S1), β-lactoglobulin (LGB), lipogenic enzyme DGAT1, and mastitis resistance genes. While genetic potential defines biological limits, breeding for technologically valuable alleles remains a core strategy. Paratypical factors either implement or suppress the genetic program through various mechanisms, exerting a profound regulatory impact, which occurs via complex signaling and epigenetic modifications that fine-tune gene expression in mammary epithelial cells in response to resource availability and external stressors. Subclinical mastitis and stress trigger biochemical shifts that impair cheese-making suitability. However, the physiological and seasonal variability of raw materials can be managed through systematic interventions. For instance, colostrum and late-lactation milk must be excluded from cheese production; meanwhile, year-round uniform calving and mandatory milk maturation can smooth quality fluctuations. Ultimately, reliable raw material quality depends on an integrated approach that combines targeted genetic selection, molecular-based environmental management, and rigorous technological standards. Such a system minimizes the natural heterogeneity of milk, ensuring the predictability of the cheese-making process

The cheese industry yields a lot of whey as byproduct. Whey contains dispersed phase components with modified native properties, which means it can be used in functional food formulations. Despite being a popular industrial process, membrane separation of whey lacks reliable information on the fractionation processes. This article introduces a new milk processing technology based on microfiltration separation of carbohydrate-mineral fraction (native whey) from skim milk during soft cheese production. The retentate with high micellar casein content made the cheese mix more efficient, as determined by the rennet-fermentation test of the original grade three milk. Compared to the conventional technology (State Standard GOST R 53437-2009), the new approach made it possible to recover up to 40% of permeate with a high-molecular polydisperse phase in its native form, thereby reducing the whey yield already at the first stage. The casein content in the soft cheese mix could be varied by adding different shares of microfiltration retentate. The finished cheese product had the sensory profile of commercial cheese.

The article introduces novel food-packaging films with calcium carbonate (CaCO3) as a mineral filler and dihydroquercetin as an antioxidant additive. The research featured the oxidative spoilage rate of butter packaged in the modified films with different concentrations of calcium carbonate and dihydroquercetin. By the end of the shelf life, the peroxide number increased 4.2–4.9 times in the sample stored in the film with calcium carbonate, depending on the polymer share. The acid number in the butter samples packaged in the low-pressure polyethylene film was 37.9–38.5% of the original background value, regardless of the share of CaCO3 and dihydroquercetin. Dihydroquercetin added at concentrations below 1.0% reduced the peroxide rate of fat by 11.1%, which makes it more effective than the film sample with CaCO3 but without antioxidant. In terms of physical and chemical properties, the butter with 82.5% fat met the requirements of State Standard GOST 32261-2013. The microbiological profiles complied with the national standards for dairy safety (TR CU 033/2013).

3D-printing is gaining more and more popularity in the dairy industry. However, no objective criteria for strength properties have been developed so far. Dairy production needs the ultimate parameters at which a finished 3D-printed dairy product retains its shape and appealing consumer properties. This study tested the strength properties of 3D-systems made from processed cheese. It established a direct correlation between the strength properties and the component composition. Processed cheese cubes of 20 mm each side were obtained from nineteen faces of round filaments with a cross-sectional area of 2 mm², melted layer by layer through an extruder. Protein proved to be the most important component in maintaining the structural and mechanical properties of 3D-systems. The qualitative composition of dairy proteins was as important as its quantity because the samples varied only in the content of skim milk powder and whey protein concentrate. As the protein content increased, the strength properties of the samples deteriorated. The optimal sample had a 1:1.8 mass fraction ratio of whey to casein protein. It exhibited the highest shear (1,831 Pa), tensile (5,885 Pa), and compressive stress (69,068 Pa) values. With increasing casein mass fraction, the strength properties deteriorated. This phenomenon indicated that whey proteins were more suitable for 3D-printing. The obtained data can serve as guidelines in calculating the stability of dairy 3D-systems in the current lack of references and standards.

Domestic raw materials offer numerous solutions for import substitution of biologically active substances and functional ingredients. New or improved protocols make it possible to extract biologically active substances from various natural sources, including secondary raw materials obtained as wastes of canning and other food industries. Sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides L.) is rich in hydrophilic and lipophilic biologically active compounds. Its seeds contain a lot of unsaturated fatty acids and fat-soluble components. The article describes the effect of different extraction modes on the yield and fatty acid composition of fluid sea buckthorn extracts. The working pressure was 10.13-20.27 MPa; the CO2 feed rate was 2-4 L/min. The biggest extract yield (9.29 ± 0.20 %) was achieved at 20.27 MPa and 4 L CO2/min. In general, the results correlated with other scientific reports. However, some samples appeared to contain some rare saturated fatty acids with medium chain hydrocarbons, i.e., 0.16 % undecylic C11:0, 0.12 % lauric C12:0, and 0.14 % tridecylic C13:0. The high content of linoleic (≤66%) and α-linolenic (≤17.39%) fatty acids makes fluid sea buckthorn seed extracts a valuable source of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids to be used as a functional ingredient in fortified dairy products.

Membrane fractionation of cheese whey produces whey protein concentrates and isolates. Its by-product is whey permeate, i.e., a dry residue of lactose and minerals. Permeate possesses high biological (30,000-50,000 mg/L O2) and chemical (60,000-80,000 mg/L O2) oxygen demand. As a result, whey permeate is a potential environmental hazard and cannot be discharged into the sewer as wastewater. Food scientists are looking for a safe and cost-effective method to process whey permeate into value-added products. In this study, whey permeate served as a raw material for a new mixed-fermentation beverage with encapsulated yeast. Some whey permeate samples were fermented with 6.5 × 104 CFU/g of Kluyveromyces marxianus suspense while others were fermented with its encapsulated suspension. The lactose utilization proved to be more intense in the experimental samples with encapsulated yeast. The same samples revealed no presence of yeast during the first 48 h of fermentation. The amount of yeast reached 1.1 × 102 CFU/g after 72 h of fermentation whereas the control sample demonstrated 6.1 × 106 CFU/g. The method of retaining yeast cells in alginate microcapsules prevented it from entering the nutrient medium and growing. The process did not interfere with the lactose utilization and metabolite formation.

Semi-hard cheese possesses unique sensory and biological properties, which it an important part of healthy diets. Coagulation is the key stage of semi-hard cheese production because it determines the yield and quality of the finished product. This research tested enzyme preparation Lactoferm™ in the semi-hard cheese technology. The experimental cheese mass consisted of standardized milk with 2.9 % fat fraction fortified with 0.3 % Milmix Universal milk-protein mix. The enzyme occupied 3–5 g per 100 kg of the mix. The dose of calcium chloride was 30 g per 100 kg of the mix. The control sample contained 2.5 g of SG 50 rennet per 100 kg of the mix. The coagulation test involved a Reoplast 23 device at (27 ± 2) °C. While the mix was coagulating, the resulting clots were tested for tensile strength with a Reokon 2 device. The analytical dependencies obtained made it possible to construct rheograms of hardness indentation during coagulation. Other graphs were built to illustrate the effect of the enzyme share on pre-coagulation and coagulation time. The research revealed the effect of Lactoferm™ enzyme on the clot formation time in semihard cheese. The enzyme was able to coagulate standardized milk fortified with 0.3% Milmix Universal milk-protein mix.

In 2014-2020, the Russian cheese and cottage-cheese market turned to import substitution, which boosted the volume of whey production. However, whey processing for food purposes remains as low as 20–30%. Despite the constant state control and penalties, most dairy plants prefer to dump whey in the sewage system, where it mixes with wastewater, which is environmentally and economically irrational. The factors that prevent the dairy industry from transiting to complete cycles of whey deep processing include the lack of unified terminology and standardization of secondary dairy raw materials. Mechanisms of dairy protein coagulation are different, which leads to numerous standardization issues. Other technological factors also contribute to the differences in criteria approaches. This article introduces a new whey classification system based on an integrative approach that takes into account the main technological aspects of whey production. It relies on scientifically substantiated mechanisms of protein coagulation, i.e., rennet, acid, acid-cheese, thermoacid, and thermo-calcium, as well as on the principle of microfiltration of dairy raw materials in obtaining micellar casein. As a secondary factor, the research involved curd, casein, and coprecipitate whey. The resulting integrative approach to whey classification will make it possible to perform whey processing depending on whey properties, as well as to create new models of complete deep processing cycle.