Hot brining of pasta filata cheese: effect of sodium and calcium chloride on composition, yield, and hardness

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate how the yield and water-holding capacity of pasta filata cheese during scalding-kneading (approx. 60 °C) can be improved by sodium chloride content in the stretching water. This is of sensorial and economic interests. The mechanism of hot bringing was further elucidated by adding calcium chloride in the stretchwater. Pasta filata cheese, comparable with high-moisture mozzarella, was produced in a benchtop batch scalding-kneader, with stretchwater containing 1.0, 2.0 and 2.8 g.100 g−1 sodium chloride. Three different kneading times 180, 420, and 600 s at 60 °C were tested. After stretching, the stretchwater and the cheese mass were immediately separated and weighed. Protein water-holding capacity increased with increasing sodium chloride content in the stretchwater while the hardness of the cheese decreased. It was shown that during hot brining of pasta filata type cheese, the addition of sodium chloride increased the moisture content of the protein phase and mass yield but decreased the dry matter yield. The addition of calcium chloride during hot brining reduced the moisture-to-protein ratio and increased hardness. In this study, it is demonstrated that hot brining during cooking-stretching is a critical process parameter for the composition and texture of pasta filata cheese. Based on these results, composition and hardness of pasta filata cheese can be tailored with salt concentration during stretching. The results also show that the increase of protein voluminosity by sodium is hindered in the presence of calcium ions.