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The effect of lowering salt on the physicochemical, microbiological and sensory properties of S ão J oão cheese of P ico I sland
Author(s) -
Soares Catarina,
Fernando Ana Luisa,
Mendes Benilde,
Martins António P L
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
international journal of dairy technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.061
H-Index - 53
eISSN - 1471-0307
pISSN - 1364-727X
DOI - 10.1111/1471-0307.12198
Subject(s) - food science , salting , chemistry , ripening , salt (chemistry) , sodium , moisture , cheese ripening , water activity , water content , organic chemistry , geotechnical engineering , engineering
São J oão cheeses with varying curd dry salting treatments were made with decreasing levels of salt (sodium chloride): 4 (control), 3, 2 and 1% (w/w), along with the salt‐free version. The cheeses were ripened at 11 ° C over a 40‐day period, and the effect of lowering salt on the physicochemical, microbiological and sensory properties of the cheese was studied. Reduced salt resulted in a concomitant moisture decrease with protein increase, ash and sodium reduction among experimental cheeses at the same ripening day, but there were no significant differences in p H , acidity and fat, or in the microbiological quality. Triangle tests indicated perceptible differences between test and control cheeses at the level of 2% N a C l (w/w) or less, but not with the cheese salted with 3 g N a C l/100 g. Considering the sensory, the physicochemical and the microbiological results, the cheese formulated at 3% N a C l (w/w) (presenting a reduction of 25% in salt) is feasible on an industrial scale, being indistinguishable by the regular consumer.