15B-19 |
Evaluation of process cheese melting characteristics using a Rapid Visco Analyzer |
L. A. ROSENBERG1, L. E. Metzger1, M. R. Acharya2, and V. V. Mistry2. (1) Food Science, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, (2) Dairy Science, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD 57007 A variety of methods are available which measure the meltability of cheese. However, there still is a need for an easy, rapid, and accurate test. A meltability test for Process cheese using a Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA) was recently developed. Our objective was to determine if this melt test could distinguish Process cheeses of known differences in melting characteristics and to compare this test with the Schreiber melt test. Six replicates of five treatments of Process cheeses were analyzed with the RVA and the Schreiber melt tests. The Process cheeses were produced from a control Cheddar cheese that was made from unconcentrated milk (CT), Cheddar cheese that was made from two levels of ultrafiltered milk (UF1 and UF2), and Cheddar cheese made from two levels of condensed milk (CM1 and CM2). There were no differences in the moisture content of the cheeses. An apparent viscosity vs. time graph was obtained from each sample in duplicate using a 13-min test with the RVA. The minimum apparent viscosity was the best RVA parameter for use as a measure of cheese meltability. The mean minimum apparent viscosities were 557d, 855c, 1043b, 867c, and 1209a cP and the mean Schreiber meltability was 74.8a, 69.5ab, 65.6bc, 67.1bc, and 62.2c mm flow, respectively for the CT, UF1, UF2, CM1, and CM2 treatments. While the mean meltability was ranked the same using both melt tests, differences in meltability between treatments were greater with the RVA compared to the Schreiber melt test. These results suggest that the RVA can be used to rapidly and accurately measure Process cheese meltability making it possible to use it as a quality control tool.
Session 15B, Dairy Foods: Chemistry, microbiology and sensory analysis of various cheeses
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