Texture properties of dutch-type cheese as a function of its location and ripening

Abstract

The aim of the study was to explore texture changes of Dutch-type cheese at its different locations during 126-day ripening at the temperature common for maturation of this type of cheese (10°C). Each block of cheese was divided into 3 slices and texture properties were studied in 13 segments evenly distributed in each slice. Due to cheese brining, a significant increase of hardness and elastic component was reported especially in the edge segments. During the subsequent ripening, both hardness and elastic component of natural cheese decreased gradually in all segments and slices. Studied parameters of individual parts of cheese did not demonstrate uniform rate of changes during the ripening period. In the whole experiment (even after 126-day ripening), hardness and elastic component of the cheese in core showed lower values compared to those obtained in the edge of all slices. Copyright © 2013 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.