Rheological Evaluation of Maturing Cheddar Cheese

ABSTRACT A number of Cheddar cheese samples of different age, pH and moisture content have been examined rheologically and electrophoretically to determine whether the progressive changes in cheese texture were related to casein proteolysis. The force‐compression curves obtained by crushing cubes of cheese between small flat plates at constant speed were different for the different cheese samples and were affected by the moisture content, pH and extent of α sl ‐casein proteolysis that had taken place in the cheese. These results support a model of cheese micro structure in which an extensive network involving α sl ‐ casein molecules traverses the cheese and as the cheese ripens, chymosin cleavage of α sl ‐casein weakens the protein network. Such a model explains the rapid decrease in Cheddar cheese yield‐force that occurs during the early stages of ripening.