Effect of freezing on the viscoelastic behaviour during the the ripening of a commercial low-fat soft cheese

MEZA, B. E.; VERDINI, R. A.; AMELIA CATALINA RUBIOLO

INTERNATIONAL DAIRY JOURNAL

Elsevier Ltd

Año: 2011 vol. 21 p. 346 - 351

0958-6946

The effect of the freezing process (freezing at 25 C, frozen storage at 25 C during 33 days, and thawing at 6 C) on the viscoelastic behaviour of a commercial low-fat soft cheese containing microparticulated whey proteins as fat replacers at different ripening times (1, 21, 48, and 76 days) was studied. Frequency sweeps (0.01e10 Hz) at 20 C in the linear viscoelastic region were performed. Frequency dependency of viscoelastic data was determined using power-law equations (G0 ¼ aux, G00 ¼ buy). Freezing process produced an increase in the maturation index, the viscous behaviour and a decrease in values of coefficient a. However, the decay rate of coefficient a during the studied ripening period was not influenced by this process. A negative correlation between a and maturation indexwas obtained. The results of this work indicated that the freezing process is a factor that contributes to the viscoelastic behaviour of the studied cheeses.