The effect of lowering salt on the physicochemical, microbiological and sensory properties of S ão J oão cheese of P ico I sland

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.