Determination of Calcium and Magnesium Content Following the Natural Brine Adding in Some Dairy Products

Abstract

Our study aimed to determine and quantify the calcium and magnesium addition given by natural brine used in the processing of two dairy products. The research has been made on brine samples (natural and conventional) and commercially processed dairy (telemea and cheese) in the south-west Oriental Carpathian Mountains. We determined the calcium and magnesium content of the studied milk by two comparative methods (Perkin Elmer ICP device and complexometeric method) together with other basic physical and chemical parameters: dry matter/humidity (steamer drying method), fat (butirometric method), sodium chloride (Mohr method) and pH (with an electronic pH meter). We also investigated the preferences of two consumer groups through tastings, for salted/unsalted cheese and cheese salted with natural/conventional brine. Data analysis revealed that calcium as well as magnesium content are significantly higher in Cheese (p=0.008) and natural brine (p=0.009) added in Telemea (p=0.10). In the consumer preferences, results have shown a predominance for salted Cheese (90.3%), followed by Cheese prepared in natural brine (69.2%). We concluded that, natural, mineral rich brine resulted to be mostly relevant and can increase the biological and sensory qualities of dairy products for a lower processing price.