Effect of Salt on Structure-Function Relationships of Cheese

Abstract

Our objective was to determine the effect of salt on structural and functional properties of cheese. Unsalted Muenster cheese was obtained on 1 d, vacuum packaged, and stored for 10 d at 4 degrees C. The cheese was then cut into blocks that were vacuum packaged. After 4 d of storage at 4 degrees C, cheese blocks were high-pressure injected one, three, or five times, with a 20% (wt/wt) sodium chloride solution. Successive injections were performed 24 h apart. After 40 d of storage at 4 degrees C, cheese blocks were analyzed for chemical, structural, and functional attributes. Injecting sodium chloride increased the salt content of cheese, from 0.1% in the control, uninjected cheese to 2.7% after five injections. At the highest levels, salt injection promoted syneresis, and, after five injections, the moisture content of cheese decreased from 41 to 38%. However, the increased salt content caused a net weight gain. Cheese pH, soluble nitrogen, and total and soluble calcium content were unaffected. Cheese injected five times had a 4% increased area of cheese occupied by protein matrix compared with uninjected cheese. Hardness, adhesiveness, and initial rate of cheese flow increased, and cohesiveness decreased upon salt injection. However, the final extent of cheese flow, or melting was unaffected. We concluded that adding salt to cheese alters protein interactions, such that the protein matrix becomes more hydrated and expands. However, increasing the salt content of cheese did not cause an exchange of calcium with sodium. Therefore, calcium-mediated protein interactions remain a major factor controlling cheese functionality.

Interactive effects of salt and fat reduction on composition, rheology and functional properties of mozzarella-style cheese

“…Similarly, the flow was increased by reduction in the levels of salt or calcium level. Similar trends were reported for the effect of salt by Ma et al (2013) and for calcium by Pastorino et al (2003) and O'Mahony et al (2006). This effect, more pronounced with calcium, is likely to be associated with attenuation of the casein network by greater hydrolysis of the casein on reducing salt and by the reduction in the concentration of calciuminduced crosslinking on reducing calcium content (Guinee 2015).…”

Effect of salt and fat reduction on the composition, lactose metabolism, water activity and microbiology of Cheddar cheese

“…The key approaches have been reviewed by Johnson et al (2009) and Møller (2012) and include reducing the volume fraction of the casein network by increasing moisture level or the inclusion of filler materials such as microparticulated whey proteins and hydrocolloid-based materials; reducing the degree of casein cross-linking through reduction in calcium phosphate level; increasing casein hydrolysis; the use of improved starter culture and starter-culture adjuncts, increasing proteolysis and adding fat-derived flavours. Similarly, the effects of reducing salt content have been extensively reported, with most emphasis on full-fat cheese (Arboatti et al 2014;Czarnacka-Szymani and Jezewska-Zychowicz 2015;Ganesan et al 2014;Lu and McMahon 2015;Ma et al 2013;Murtaza et al 2014;Pastorino et al 2003;Rulikowska et al 2013). Apart from the potential risk to safety and microbiological quality (Labrie et al 2014), a major issue with reduced-salt cheeses is low pH, which is conducive to higher residual coagulant activity, greater hydrolysis of β-casein and an increased risk of bitterness (Guinee and Fox 2004).…”

Determination of Calcium and Magnesium Content Following the Natural Brine Adding in Some Dairy Products

“…These results show that salt content is sufficient (Telemea), even though there have been some difference between dairy types, but this kind of results were communicated by other recent studies as well (Hashem et al, 2014). Even though the importance of salt in obtaining the texture and savor of the product has been already demonstrated (Pastorino et al, 2003;Shrestha et al, 2011), the tendency is to reduce the Na content or to replace it with other chlorine salts (K, Mg, Ca) (Johnson et al, 2009), but this has a negative influence upon savor and consumer acceptance (Grummer et al, 2013 ). Other researchers went further and quantified the effect on the micro flora in dairy when replacing totally or partially NaCl with KCl, but the results have been insignificant (Wachowska, 2011;Ayyash et al, 2012.…”