Abstract
The viscosity of melted cheese during processing was determined using a Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA). Values for viscosity at the start of melting (MSV) and stable viscosity (SV), which were obtained from the viscosity profile, decreased as the ripening period of the cheese increased. Both MSV and SV values were found to be correlated with the soluble nitrogen content, regardless of cheese type, but neither value was found to be correlated with Ca content or pH. These results suggest that MSV and SV values obtained by RVA may be used as indicators for characterization of cheese as an ingredient for processed cheese.
