Industrial freezing and tempering for optimal functional properties in thawed Mozzarella cheese. (30th March 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pax, Anita P.; Ong, Lydia; Pax, Randolph A.; Vongsvivut, Jitraporn; Tobin, Mark J.; Kentish, Sandra E.; Gras, Sally L.
• Is Part Of: Food chemistry. Volume 405:Part B(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-03-30
• Subjects: Microstructure -- Dairy -- Meltability -- Protein structure -- Freezing -- Frozen -- Temperature profile -- Heat transfer; Food -- Analysis -- Periodicals; Food -- Composition -- Periodicals; 664
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2022.134933
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0308-8146

Abstract

Highlights: Industrial freezing did not lead to protein network changes as detected by CLSM. Tempering frozen cheese for 3 weeks restored structure and functionality. Tempering cheese for 3 weeks after frozen storage allowed some proteolysis to occur. Protein secondary structures differed with cheese freezing, tempering and ageing. The quality and functionality of frozen cheese may be optimised with tempering. Abstract: Mozzarella cheese was industrially frozen (‐18 °C), stored for up to six months, tempered at 4 °C for one or three weeks and the structure and functionality compared to cheese stored at 4 °C and cheese aged at 4 °C for four weeks prior to freezing. When combined with ageing or tempering, the slow industrial freezing minimised changes to the protein network as detected by confocal microscopy and arrested proteolysis. Cheese functionality improved with three weeks of tempering, with properties similar to cheese refrigerated for one month, potentially due to increased proteolysis and protein rehydration. Frozen storage induced β-sheet and β-turn structures, as detected by S-FTIR microspectroscopy, with longer tempering leading to structural recovery in the cheese. This study indicates the proteolysis and functionality of frozen cheese can be optimised with tempering time. It also provides new insights into heat transfer during the industrial freezing and tempering of cheese.