Application of the response surface analysis method to the study of salt and water profiles in goat's cheese salted in layers

Abstract

[EN] With the purpose of determining sodium chloride and water distribution profiles, a series of analyses were carried out on goat's cheese that had been salted by a traditional method from the province of Jujuy (Argentina). This process consists of distributing layers of dry salt between layers of curd of a constant height during the moulding operation. The sodium chloride and water concentration profiles were analyzed in relation to the height and distance of the cheese samples from the center. The response surface analysis methodology was used to interpret the results. The highest water concentration was obtained in the lower external zone, this being connected to the gravitational effect of syneresis and its contact with the cheese inside the container. In the sodium chloride profile, it was observed that the upper zone of the cheese presented the concentration furthest from the average value. This indicates that salt and water distribution can be improved by increasing the frequency of turning the cheeses after salting. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS A fundamental variable in the formulation and control over the cheese manufacturing process is the salt concentration and its profile within the product. In the case of the goat cheese, which is traditionally manufactured in the province of Jujuy, the salting is mostly made by dry salt distribution. The product have a variable salt content and heterogeneous flavor. A detailed understanding of the factors that influence in the salt distribution must allow producers to optimize the salting stage and thus improve the quality of the final product. An analysis of the salt and moisture concentration profiles developed throughout the mass transfer process is a good method to clarify the reach of the mechanisms involved in it.