Graviera Pro: The Unique Graviera cheese from Kozani
It is currently in the implementation stage by the Agricultural Cooperative of Voio, in collaboration with GAIA EPICHEIREIN and the Agricultural University of Athens (AUA), and is funded by Measure 16 ‘Cooperation’.
The ‘Graviera Pro’ Operational Group, implemented by the Agricultural Livestock Cooperative (ALC) of Voio in Kozani, in collaboration with the Laboratory of Dairy Research of the Agricultural University of Athens (AUA), is approaching its final phase, under the guidance of GAIA EPICHEIREIN, which complements the Operational Group in the framework of Measure 16 ‘Cooperation’, funded by the EU.
We are making a different type of graviera cheese with propionic bacteria cultures,” says Grigoris Tsolopoulos, president of the Agricultural Livestock Cooperative (ALC) of Voio. “We have already carried out the first pilot test. For the experiment, we used two tonns of milk. We placed the cheeses in environments with different temperatures and aged them for more days, and then we sent them to the Agricultural University of Athens where they conducted the analyses. This way, we saw how the product behaves throughout its aging process and conducted corresponding analyses.
The results were very satisfactory, both for the heads of the cooperative and the scientists at AUA, as well as for the local market people who tasted the new cheese. “In terms of taste, it has some unique characteristics, with a pleasant flavor that is different from the other graviera cheeses. It also has many more holes”, adds Mr Tsolopoulos.
Methodology
This product is made by adding propionic bacteria. The goal is to create a new type of cheese that resembles Emmental in terms of production method. Ekaterini Moschopoulou, Associate Professor at the Laboratory of Dairy Research of the Department of Food Science & Human Nutrition (FSHN) at the Agricultural University of Athens (AUA), who is responsible for the program, provides more scientific details: “Propionic bacteria are developed in these cheeses. Although there may be a few propionic bacteria in the milk used for cheese-making, we enrich it with extra cultures, namely, microorganisms in their pure form, which are used in cheesemaking”.
She continues: “The milk is pasteurized by default, so it then needs to be enriched with microorganisms that will ferment the lactose. These are the lactic acid bacteria, which will produce lactic acid. We also add propionic bacteria, which have the ability to ferment lactic acid and produce propionic acid and carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide is what applies pressure to the cheese mass and creates the holes we see in the graviera. The propionic bacteria also produce vitamin B12, so the final product is likely to be enriched with vitamin B12”.
New Tests and Goals
In the second test, which will begin in about a month (i.e., in the second or third week of March), as Mr Tsolopoulos explains, the research for creating a new type of Graviera cheese will advance one step further, so that the product has more positive effects on the body. A protocol will be adopted in combination with additional microorganisms, specifically probiotics. This is also where the title of the project, ‘Graviera Pro’ (Graviera with Propionics and Probiotics), comes from. The new product, apart from enriching the range of products the Cooperative offers on the market, will also be beneficial to the body.
However, scientists will wait for the final results of the analyses of the product made in the second phase before drawing conclusions, as cheese is a living organism, and it is impossible to predict how it will develops. “Once the analyses are complete and we have the final conclusions, we aim to promote this product on the market. It will be made from goat and sheep milk. Since it is not PDO (Protected Designation of Origin), there is no restriction on the ratio of goat to sheep milk”, adds Mr Tsolopoulos.
Focus on Small Producers
It is also extremely important to note that the ALC of Voio collects milk from small producers, who do not have access to large companies due to their distance from these companies, as well as the small quantities they produce. “Especially with the small producers, there are issues because companies do not buy their milk since they are located in remote areas. We are 60 kilometers away from Kozani, and the farmers are even further, 30-40 kilometers from us. However, they are our members, and we do not leave these people to their fate.”
As the president of the Cooperative explains, these members “have free-range animals, old Greek breeds with very good products, but these animals do not have high yields. A farmer with 100 barned animals may produce 20-30 tonns of milk, while they may only produce 5-6 tons. However, their milk is nothing like the other milk. Their milk has more fat, more protein. These animals are smaller, require less food, and are not prone to diseases. Also, a barned animal needs to be replaced every 3-4 years, while these animals can live up to 7-8 years. They have significant advantages, but low yield.”
