Diffusie van zout en water bij het zouten van kaas

In experiments on the brining of cheese, displacement of salt in cheese could be adequately described by a diffusion process. A simple model on the structure of the cheese matrix (fat globules and protein), allowing for friction and labyrinth effects, explained the lower value for the pseudo diffusion coefficient ( D *) of sodium chloride in the moisture, than the true diffusion coefficient in pure water.The transport ratio of water to salt was usually constant within one cheese. it was always more than one, presumably because of the difference in friction of the components. With the values obtained for D * and moisture loss, total salt uptake by cheese could be calculated.With calcium-free brine, moisture in cheese locally increased and a soft rind developed; with brine containing calcium chloride, the rind was firm and its moisture content low. Preliminary experiments on swelling are described.Not all the water in cheese is active in salting. For salt, there was less non-solvent water than for lactose. A possible explanation is discussed.