An accurate account of mass loss during cheese ripening described using the reaction engineering approach (REA)‐based model

Abstract

Summary Cheese ripening is an important step in cheese making for modifying surface and curd properties. Due to physical, chemical and biological changes, mass loss usually occurs during the process. Although these changes are essential for developing the texture and flavour of cheese, mass loss decreases product yields. A reliable mathematical model is used to quantify mass loss during cheese ripening so that the processing conditions can be fine‐tuned to achieve the desirable throughput. In this study, for the first time, the reaction engineering approach (REA)‐based model is applied to model the cheese ripening. The study shows that the REA‐based model is accurate to model cheese ripening of Camembert and French smear cheese. In addition, the REA is able to model the cheese ripening under time‐varying environmental conditions. For this purpose, the equilibrium activation energy is evaluated according to the corresponding humidity and temperature in each period, while the same relative activation energy for ripening under constant environmental conditions is implemented. The REA is a simple yet effective approach to model the simultaneous heat and mass transfer process accompanied by chemical and biological reactions. Considering its effectiveness, the REA can be applied in industrial settings for predicting mass loss during cheese ripening.

Prediction of fresh and ripened cheese yield using detailed milk composition and udder health indicators from individual Brown Swiss cows

“…Similarly, the regression coefficient of fat (on average %CY RIPENED = 0.64) even dropped to below the average recovery ratio of milk fat in the curd. This shows that not only moisture decreases greatly during ripening, but also that dry mass decreases as a result of the complex biochemical and microbiological processes that characterize cheese ripening ( 42 , 60 ).…”

Major Causes of Variation of External Appearance, Chemical Composition, Texture, and Color Traits of 37 Categories of Cheeses

“…Generally, cheeses to be ripened over a long period are larger (for slower drying), are made with partly skimmed milk, undergo a curd-cooking phase, and have a higher ash content [ 20 ]. So, when examining the differences among different types of cheeses, the first thing to consider should be the effect of length of ripening [ 21 ].…”

Modeling weight loss of cheese during ripening and the influence of dairy system, parity, stage of lactation, and composition of processed milk

“…For example, Riahi et al (2007) proposed a model for predicting the total and DM weights of smear soft cheeses during ripening using cheese water activity and CO 2 release, and Hélias et al ( 2007) developed a mechanistic model for predicting mass transfer in Camembert cheese by recording online measurements of cheese respiratory activity. The results of both these studies have been tested using a reaction engineering approach, with good results (Putranto et al, 2018). Gaucel et al (2012) proposed a generalized model to assess cheese mass loss during ripening of Camembert and Saint-Nectaire cheeses based on the analysis of water activity on the cheese rind and measurements of relative humidity during ripening.…”