2025 Volume 39 Issue 1-2 Pages 40-44
The rheological properties of semi-hard cheese (H), made from raw Holstein milk with a fat content below 4%, and cheese (J), made from raw Jersey milk with a fat content of approximately 5%, were compared. Load-deformation curves obtained using the cone indentation method at 30°C under large deformation were analyzed using second-degree polynomials. Cheese J exhibited a firmer texture than cheese H. The temperature dependence of the dynamic elastic modulus in the linear region was measured, and the melt behavior of both cheeses was compared using the temperature dependence of tan δ as a parameter. Before aging, H and J exhibited similar melt behavior. However, after one month of aging, tan δ remained below 1 up to 80°C for H, while for J, tan δ exceeded 1 at higher temperatures than before aging. These differences in rheological properties, which occur as milk fat crystals soften or melt, are believed to result from variations in the protein network structure formed by casein micelles.
