Effect of Moderate Electric Fields on the Physical and Chemical Characteristics of Cheese Emulsions

Ipek Altay, Lucas Sales Queiroz*, Naaman F. Nogueira Silva, Aberham Hailu Feyissa, Federico Casanova, Jens J. Sloth, Mohammad Amin Mohammadifar*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

85 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Cheese powder is a multifunctional ingredient that is produced by spray drying a hot cheese emulsion called cheese feed. Feed stability is achieved by manipulating calcium equilibrium using emulsifying salts. However, the increased demand for ‘green’ products created a need for alternative production methods. Therefore, this study investigated the impact of ohmic heating (OH) on Cheddar cheese, mineral balance, and the resulting cheese feed characteristics compared with a conventional method. A full factorial design was implemented to determine the optimal OH parameters for calcium solubilization. Electric field exposure and temperature had a positive correlation with mineral solubilization, where temperature had the greatest impact. Structural differences in pre-treated cheeses (TC) were analyzed using thermorheological and microscopic techniques. Obtained feeds were analyzed for particle size, stability, and viscosity. OH-treatment caused a weaker cheese structure, indicating the potential removal of calcium phosphate complexes. Lower component retention of OH_TC was attributed to the electroporation effect of OH treatment. Microscopic images revealed structural changes, with OH_TC displaying a more porous structure. Depending on the pre-treatment method, component recovery, viscosity, particle size distribution, and colloidal stability of the obtained feeds showed differences. Our findings show the potential of OH in mineral solubilization; however, further improvements are needed for industrial application.
Original languageEnglish
Article number747
JournalGels
Volume9
Issue number9
Number of pages16
ISSN2310-2861
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2023

Keywords

  • Ohmic heating
  • Experimental design
  • Cheddar cheese
  • Green processing

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Effect of Moderate Electric Fields on the Physical and Chemical Characteristics of Cheese Emulsions'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this