The effect of age on Cheddar cheese melting, rheology and structure, and on the stability of feed for cheese powder manufacture

Age-related changes to the rheology and structure of Cheddar for cheese powder manufacture, and how this influences the stability of cheese feed during pre-spray-drying storage, were investigated. Cheddar cheese (3, 5, 7, 9, 12 and 15 months old) was analysed for meltability by the Schreiber Test and small angle oscillation measurements. Results showed increasing stiffness and reduced activation energy for initiation of milk fat melting with age. Cheese feeds for manufacture of cheese powder were made, with or without emulsifying salts (ES), and analysed for emulsion stability. In the absence of ES, feeds made from 3 month old Cheddar were significantly more stable than those made from 5 month old cheese. A similar significant increase in emulsion stability was observed for cheeses of 7 months of age compared with 12 months, indicating the necessity to use Cheddar cheese aged 3 months or less to produce stable cheese feeds without ES.