The effect of selected phosphate emulsifying salts on viscoelastic properties of processed cheese

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of selected phosphate emulsifying salts (Na3PO4, Na2HPO4, Na4P2O7, Na2H2P2O7, Na5P3O10, sodium polyphosphate) and their selected mixtures (sodium polyphosphate + Na2HPO4; sodium polyphosphate + Na4P2O7) on the viscoelastic properties of model processed cheese (dry matter – 40 g/100 g; fat in dry matter – 50 g/100 g). Viscoelastic properties of model samples stored at 6 ± 2 °C were investigated by dynamic oscillation rheometry (plate–plate geometry; frequency range 0.1–50.0 Hz; temperature 20 °C). Processed cheese manufactured with different phosphates showed various pH values and different viscoelastic properties. The firmness of samples increased due to use of particular types of tested phosphates. Their influence on cheese firmness increased in the following order: orthophosphate < polyphosphate < diphosphate < triphosphate. The increasing content of polyphosphate (up to 50%) in the binary mixture of polyphosphate and orthophosphate or polyphosphate and diphosphate caused the increase of firmness of model samples. The content of polyphosphates above 50% in the binary mixture led to decrease of firmness of model processed cheese.