Processed Cheese Manufacturing and Rheological Properties
Summary
Processed cheese is produced by blending natural cheeses or dairy proteins with emulsifying salts, fats, water and optional additives under controlled heat and shear. Emulsifying salts, typically phosphates or citrates, sequester calcium from casein micelles to facilitate uniform dispersion of protein and fat phases, yielding a stable emulsion with extended shelf-life. Key manufacturing stages include comminution of cheeses or protein ingredients, hydration, salt addition, pasteurisation, emulsification under shear and cooling. The resulting material is characterised by a viscoelastic protein network entrapping fat droplets and water, whose microstructure governs slicing, melting and mouthfeel properties. Rheological measurements such as storage modulus (G′), loss modulus (G″), yield stress and viscosity profiles under varying temperature and shear conditions provide insight into the material’s elastic and viscous behaviour, meltability and spreadability. Control of pH, salt type and concentration, heating profile and formulation enables tailored textural attributes for diverse global markets, from sliceable loaf products to melt-in-mouth spreads.
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Processed Cheese Manufacturing and Rheological Properties publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in processed cheese manufacturing and rheological properties across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Emulsifying salts: Phosphate or citrate salts added to processed cheese to dissociate casein micelles and stabilise protein–fat–water emulsions.
Casein micelles: Colloidal aggregates of casein proteins and calcium phosphate that form the primary structural units in dairy systems.
Calcium sequestering salts (CSS): Salts that bind free calcium ions, inducing dissociation of casein micelles and modifying protein network formation.
Rheological properties: Mechanical characteristics of a material under deformation, encompassing elastic and viscous responses.
Storage modulus (G′): A measure of a sample’s elastic stiffness under oscillatory rheometry.
Loss modulus (G″): A measure of a sample’s viscous energy dissipation during oscillatory deformation.
References
- Influence of calcium sequestering salt type and concentration on the characteristics of processed cheese made from Gouda cheese of different ages. Food Research International (2024).
- A Review on the Effect of Calcium Sequestering Salts on Casein Micelles: From Model Milk Protein Systems to Processed Cheese. Molecules (2023).
- Effect of emulsifying salts replacement with polymerised whey protein isolate on textural, rheological and melting properties of acid casein model processed cheeses. International Dairy Journal (2020).
- Influence of citrate- and phosphate-based calcium sequestering salts on the disruption of casein micelles. Food Hydrocolloids (2024).
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