Physical and sensory characteristics of processed Ras cheese spreads with formulated emulsifying salt mixtures

Processed cheese spreads were produced using Ras cheese and various emulsifying salt mixtures. Acidified Ras cheese (2 months old) was used as the cheese base and blended with following emulsifying salt mixtures: (i) Na-pyrophosphate + Na-polyphosphate, (ii) Na-pyrophosphate + Na-polyphosphate + Na-tripolyphosphate, and (iii) Na-pyrophosphate + Na-polyphosphate + Na-orthophosphate + Na-tripolyphosphate. The control cheese spreads were also made with commercial emulsifying salts, Joha S10, S9s, and NO. Water activity, oil index, meltability, flow behavior, color parameters and sensory evaluations for the resultant processed cheese were studied. Cheeses showed slight differences in water activity while the differences were significant in oil index and meltability values. Shear stress of the processed cheese samples measured at 60°C was different from that of the control. It was dependent upon the individual salts in emulsifying mixture. Spreadable Ras cheese was shinier in treatment (iii) and exhibited darker color in samples stored at room temperature (20°C). Sensory evaluation showed that all cheeses were acceptable but the mixtures (i) 70:30, (ii) 60:30:10, and (iii) 50:20:20:10 produced the most acceptable processed cheese.