Influence of Calcium and Phosphorus, Lactose, and Salt-to-Moisture Ratio on Cheddar Cheese Quality: Manufacture and Composition

Abstract

Eight Cheddar cheeses with 2 levels of calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P), residual lactose, and salt-to-moisture ratio (S/M) were manufactured. All cheeses were made using a stirred-curd procedure and were replicated 3 times. Treatments with a high level of Ca and P were produced by setting the milk and drawing the whey at a higher pH (6.6 and 6.3, respectively) compared with the treatments with a low level of Ca and P (pH of 6.2 and 5.7, respectively). The lactose content in the cheeses was varied by adding lactose (2.5% by weight of milk) to the milk for high lactose cheeses, and washing the curd for low lactose cheeses. The difference in S/M was obtained by dividing the curds into halves, weighing each half, and salting at 3.5 and 2.25% of the weight of the curd for high and low S/M, respectively. All cheeses were salted at a pH of 5.4. Modifications in cheese-making protocols produced cheeses with desired differences in Ca and P, residual lactose, and S/M. Average Ca and P in the high Ca and P cheeses was 0.68 and 0.48%, respectively, vs. 0.53 and 0.41% for the low Ca and P cheeses. Average lactose content of the high lactose treatments at d 1 was 1.48% compared with 0.30% for the low lactose treatments. The S/M for the high and low S/M cheeses was 6.68 and 4.77%, respectively. Mean moisture, fat, and protein content of the cheeses ranged from 32.07 to 37.57%, 33.32 to 35.93%, and 24.46 to 26.40%, respectively. The moisture content differed among the treatments, whereas fat and protein content on dry basis was similar.

Effect of calcium addition and pH on yield and texture of Minas cured cheese

“…These results are similar to those described by Chevanan and Muthukumarappan (2007) who found no significant difference in protein content of Cheddar cheeses produced with different concentration of calcium. Furthermore, it partially agree with the results obtained by Upreti and Metzger (2006) in which the protein and fat content of cheddar cheeses was significantly affected by a variation in the concentration of calcium in cheese making, however these differences in protein and fat of cheeses were attributed to differences in their moisture content. This is supported by the fact that protein and fat content on a dry basis was not affected by different levels of calcium.…”

“…The moisture content of the cheese was not significantly affected by the addition of calcium in different concentrations regardless of the pH of milk clotting. Different results were found for cheddar cheese by Guinee and O'Kennedy (2009) and Upreti and Metzger (2006), in which cheeses with low calcium had higher moisture compared to those with high calcium. A similar influence of calcium content on cheese moisture was observed by other researchers; they attributed the lower moisture in high calcium cheese to reduced hydration of the cheese para-casein matrix compared with low calcium cheese (Guinee et al, 2002;Pastorino et al, 2003a;Joshi et al, 2004).…”

“…Milk calcium concentration is described to influence cheese texture, which is an important rheological property of cheese quality as perceived by consumers and the total calcium content of the several cheese varieties varies mostly due to differences in the manufacturing pH values (Lucey and Fox, 1993;Lee et al, 2005). It is known that pH has a major effect on the textural properties of cheese due to the effect on the load-bearing casein (Watkinson, 2001), as well as on colloidal calcium phosphate dissolution as a function of milk pH decreasing, disrupting the stability of casein micelles (Dalgleis and Law, 1989;Lucey et al, 1997). The pH variations also lead to a shift in calcium equilibrium, and are influenced by factors like composition and pre-acidification of milk, cheese manufacturing pH, acid development during aging, among others.…”

Effect of curd washing on composition, lactose metabolism, pH, and the growth of non-starter lactic acid bacteria in full-fat Cheddar cheese

“…0.7, df ¼ 10) between the extent of curd washing and levels of residual lactose at ripening times up to 180 days, but especially during the first month. Similarly, previous studies (Huffman & Kristoffersen, 1984;Shakeel-Ur-Rehman et al, 2004;Upreti & Metzger, 2006) have noted that residual lactose levels in cheese at 1e30 days after manufacture decreased with curd washing. Such a trend is expected as lactose is a water-soluble solute.…”

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

“…Other studies on full-or reduced-fat Cheddar cheese found that lactose was metabolized rapidly within 1 to 30 days after manufacture (Rynne et al 2007). Inter-study discrepancies in lactose content probably relate to variations in the salt tolerance of the starter cultures, the lactose content of the cheese milk and the moisture and calcium contents of the cheese (Hou et al 2012(Hou et al , 2014Upreti and Metzger 2006). Lactose being a reducing sugar, the persistence of residual lactose in the FFFS cheese, at levels of~0.15 to 0.45% (w/w) between 1 and 150 days, could contribute to Maillard reactions and browning especially in heated cheese applications such as pizza, where it may be desirable or undesirable depending on brand and types.…”