Factors Influencing the Curd Tension of Rennet Coagulated Milk. Salt Balance

Coagulation time for fresh whole milk was less than that for reconstituted nonfat dry milk of equal curd tension.Curd tension was more sensitive than coagulation time in reacting to small additions of monovalent and divalent cations including pit changes.Curd tension was maximum within a narrow range of concentration for sodium and potassium at 0.10 ~ or calcium at 0.12 added to nonfat powder reconstituted at 11% total solids and measured at the optimum pH 6.0.Additions of NaOtt lowered curd tension more rapidly than Ca(Ott)2 in the range of pH 6.7 to 7.0, whereas for pit 6.7 to 6.3 addition of 25 m~ of calcium depressed curd tension increase produced by added tiC1.Added polyphosphates decreased curd tension, accelerating with increased phosphate concentrations.Orthophosphate differed in showing a linear decrease with added phosphate.