Compositional characteristics of rennet caseins and hydration characteristics of the caseins in a model system as indicators of performance in Mozzarella cheese analogue manufacture

Abstract

Rennet casein is widely used in the manufacture of Mozzarella cheese analogues. Wide variation in the functional performance of different rennet caseins during the manufacture of such cheese analogues is encountered, resulting in considerable variability in the functional properties of the cheese analogue. Samples of 44 batches of edible rennet caseins were studied for performance in Mozzarella cheese analogue manufacture in two pilot-scale cheese analogue manufacturing processes and scoring systems for performance in the two processes were devised. Rennet casein performance during cheese analogue manufacture was found to vary widely and also differed depending on the pilot-scale process used. Of the protein, moisture and ash contents of the caseins only the ash content showed significant correlation to the performance scores achieved in cheese analogue manufacture, but this was not a suitable parameter for predicting performance. The hydration characteristics of the rennet casein when dispersed in solutions of disodium orthophosphate (DSP) were determined using a rheological method and compared to the performance of the rennet caseins in the two pilot-scale cheese analogue production processes. Wide variations in the maximum viscosity index, in the time taken to reach the maximum viscosity index and in the viscosity stability of rennet caseins dispersed in 0.4% (w/w) DSP were observed. In a non-linear graphical model, the time taken to reach maximum viscosity and the maximum viscosity index reached in 0.4% (w/w) DSP were found to be good indicators of the performance of rennet caseins in both the pilot-scale cheese analogue manufacturing processes. The model, or a suitable development of the model, should prove useful to manufacturers and users of rennet casein alike in assessing the potential performance of different batches of rennet casein in the manufacture of cheese analogues.