Forced syneresis determination results from commercial cream cheese samples

pH, ζ-potential and ionic calcium of 26 commercial cream cheese samples were determined along with forced syneresis by stepwise centrifugation and the results analysed in consideration of their gross composition to create three statistical models. The first model evaluated all samples and revealed that those with high salt content had significantly lower serum release with a threshold of 0.66 g NaCl 100 g−1 partitioning 5 samples from the rest. Higher fat content had a similar effect. The second model only considered samples without added stabilisers, identifying fat and protein to be the fundamental factors that contained syneresis. Aligning with model 1, the third model only considered samples with stabilisers, confirming salt to be the influencing parameter to decrease serum release showing the dominating effect of hydrocolloids on syneresis in cream cheese. ζ-Potential and pH had no significant effect. Forced syneresis was on average 6.4% and 27.1% in cheeses with/without stabilisers.