An appraisal of the impact of compositional and ripening parameters on CO2 diffusivity in semi-hard cheese. (1st March 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Acerbi, F.; Guillard, V.; Guillaume, C.; Saubanere, M.; Gontard, N.
• Is Part Of: Food chemistry. Volume 194(2016)
• Page Start: 1172
• Page End: 1179
• Publication Date: 2016-03-01
• Subjects: Diffusivity -- Semi-hard cheese -- Carbon dioxide -- Ripening parameters; Food -- Analysis -- Periodicals; Food -- Composition -- Periodicals; 664
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2015.08.020
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0308-8146

Abstract

Highlights: CO2 diffusivity significantly decreased with increasing salt content (0–2.7% w / w ). CO2 diffusivity significantly increased with ripening time (2–8 weeks). CO2 diffusivity was found to be isotropic in relation to the cheese pressing axis. CO2 diffusivity and solubility coefficient in semi-hard cheese were not related. Abstract: This study focuses on CO2 diffusivity, which is one of the most important factors impacting eye growth in semi-hard cheese, but yet has scarcely been investigated in literature. The effect of compositional and ripening parameters on experimental CO2 diffusivity in semi-hard cheese was studied. CO2 diffusivity in semi-hard cheese showed a complex relationship with temperature in the range 4–25 °C, represented by a quadratic curve with the highest diffusivity at 13 °C. Salt was found to impact CO2 diffusivity, with a decrease of about 60% for 0–2.7% w / w salt addition, which may be ascribed to viscosity increase of the cheese matrix and "salting in" effect of protein. CO2 diffusivity was found to increase with moisture content from 39% to 42% w / w, then it decreased from 42% to 48% w / w . Inevitable changes in protein content of the three cheese variants may be responsible for the complex behaviour observed.