PRODUCTION OF PROCESSED CHEESE USING CHEDDAR CHEESE AND CHEESE BASE .5. RHEOLOGICAL PROPERTIES

The duration and storage temperature had significantly (P < 0.001) influenced the physical properties of the 14 blends of processed cheese. The firmest samples were the experimental and the blends containing the largest proportion of cheese base. Processed cheese samples stored at 30-degrees-C for 3 months were the firmest when compared with the control. Slight reduction in the firmness of these cheeses were observed after 6 months storage. The correlation of textural measurements of the processed cheese blends vs total nitrogen content were very significant (P < 0.001). No correlation was observed between the panel's appraisal of body asnd texture of the cheese and textural measurements.