Effects of sodium chloride salting and substitution with potassium chloride on whey expulsion of Cheddar cheese

Abstract

A challenge in manufacturing reduced-sodium cheese is that whey expulsion after salting decreases when less salt is applied. Our objectives were (1) to determine whether changing the salting method would increase whey syneresis when making a lower sodium cheese and (2) to better understand factors contributing to salt-induced curd syneresis. Unsalted milled Cheddar curds were salted using different salting intervals (5 or 10 min), different salting levels (20, 25, or 30g/kg), different numbers of applications when using only 20g/kg salt (1, 2, or 3 applications), and salting with the equivalent of 30g/kg NaCl using a 2:1 molar ratio of NaCl and KCl. Whey from these curds was collected every 5 or 10 min until 30 or 40 min after the start of salting, and curds were subsequently pressed for 3h. Additional trials were conducted in which salted milled Cheddar cheese curd was immersed at 22°C for 6h in various solutions to determine how milled curd pieces respond to different levels of salt and Ca. The use of 10-min intervals delayed whey syneresis without influencing total whey expulsion or cheese composition after pressing. Lowering the salt level reduced whey expulsion, resulting in cheeses with higher moisture and slightly lower pH. Adding salt faster did not increase whey expulsion in reduced-salt cheese. Partial substitution with KCl restored the extent of whey expulsion. When salted milled curd was immersed in a 30g/L salt solution, there was a net influx of salt solution into the curd and curd weight increased. When curd was immersed in 60g/L salt solution, a contraction of curd occurred. Curd shrinkage was more pronounced as the salt solution concentration was increased to 90 and 120g/L. Increasing the Ca concentration in test solutions (such that both serum and total Ca in the curd increased) also promoted curd contraction, resulting in lower curd moisture and pH and less weight gain by the curd. The proportion of Ca in the curd that was bound to the para-casein protein matrix changed with the Ca content of the test solution. Compared with test solutions containing 10g/L Ca, at low Ca levels (i.e., 1 and 5g/L) the proportion of bound Ca was lower, whereas at 20g/L Ca, the proportion of bound Ca was higher. Both Ca and salt concentration influence the physicochemical properties of the protein matrix such that at low concentrations the curd expands, whereas at high concentrations the curd contracts and expels whey.

Reduced‐sodium cheeses: Implications of reducing sodium chloride on cheese quality and safety

“…The substitution of NaCl with other salts has been extensively studied for Cheddar cheese (Grummer, Karalus, Zhang, Vickers, & Schoenfuss, ; Hystead, Diez‐Gonzalez, & Schoenfuss, ; McMahon et al., ; Lu & McMahon, ), Akawi cheese (Ayyash, Sherkat, & Shah, ), Halloumi cheese (Ayyash & Shah, , ), Nabulsi cheese (Ayyash & Shah, ), Mozzarella cheese (Ayyash & Shah, , ; Ayyash, Sherkat, & Shah, ), Feta cheese (Aly, ; Katsiari, Voutsinas, Alichanidis, & Roussis, , ; Katsiari, Alichanidis, Voutsinas, & Roussis, ), Fynbo cheese (Zorrilla & Rubiolo, , ; Sihufe, Zorrilla, & Rubiolo, , ), White cheese (Karagözlü, Kinik, & Akbulut, ), Kefalograviera cheese (Katsiari, Voutsinas, Alichanidis, & Roussis, , ; Katsiari, Alichanidis, Voutsinas, & Roussis, ), Cottage cheese (Demott, Hitchcock, & Sanders, ; Fosberg & Joyner, ), Minas cheese (Gomes et al., ), Coalho cheese (Costa, Alves, et al., ), Prato cheese (Costa, Sobral, et al., ), and processed cheese (Chavhan et al., ; Patel, Patel, & Lee, ) showing the concern for reducing salt content in cheeses. However, the substitution of NaCl by MgCl 2 or CaCl 2 has been reported to impart off flavor (sour, bitter, metallic, and soapy) in cheeses except KCl (Grummer et al., ).…”

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).…”

“…Comparatively, few studies have considered the effects of reducing salt in reduced-/low-fat cheese (Paulson et al 1998;Skeie et al 2013). Attempts to improve the quality of reduced-sodium cheese have focused mainly on the replacement of sodium chloride with other salts such as potassium chloride or magnesium chloride (Lu and McMahon 2015;McMahon et al 2014;Thibaudeau et al 2015).…”

Improve the technology of brynza from sheep's milk by adding a bioprotective culture

“…Аналіз літературних даних свідчить про те, що знизити рівень споживання кухонної солі у продуктах харчування можна шляхом часткової заміни кухонної солі (хлорид натрію -NaCl) хлоридом калію (КCl) у співвідношеннях 3:1, 1:1, 1:3 Ayyash, Sherkat, Shah, (2012). Дослідження проводилися на твердих сирах і показали позитивну динаміку змін щодо перебігу біохімічн их процесів, які у них відбуваються протягом визрівання і зберігання Lu & McMahon, 2015). У білому сирі Akawi дослідження показали, що за заміни кухонної солі хлоридом калію у співвідношенні 3:1 твердість, клейкість і здатність до злипання у сирі зменшилися, а за даними проведеної сенсорної оцінки досліджуваного сиру зменшилася гіркота і солоність; також спостерігалося зниження вмісту розчинного кальцію і натрію, але кількість розчинних калію і фосфору, вмісту лимонної, молочної та оцтової кислот зросла на 30 добу зберігання при температурі (4 ± 1) °С.…”

“…Оптимальна температура росту близько (30 ± 1) °С. На відміну від L. сasei здатний рости при температурі (45 ± 1) °С, розмножуватися в середовищі, що містить 6% NaCl і 20% жовчі (Lu & McMahon, 2015).…”