K. Kasprzak et al., FREEZING QUALITIES OF CHEDDAR-TYPE CHEESES CONTAINING VARIED PERCENTAGES OF FAT, MOISTURE, AND SALT, Journal of dairy science, 77(7), 1994, pp. 1771-1782
Eighteen compositions of Cheddar-type cheeses, manufactured to attain
three moisture percentages (low, nor-mal, and high), three fat percent
ages (low, normal, and high), and two salt percentages (low and normal
), were aged 2.5 mo, frozen 4 mo at -18-degrees-C, and then thawed. Th
e thawed cheeses were aged for 0, 2, 4, and 8 wk at 7-degrees-C. A 3 x
3 x 2 factorial design was used to determine the effects of compositi
on, freezing, and aging on cheese quality attributes. Low salt, low fa
t cheese and low salt, high fat cheese showed increased fracturability
immediately after frozen storage, but this defect decreased again aft
er 2 wk of aging. Aging did not improve the crumbly, weak body caused
by frozen storage of high and normal fat cheeses with high moisture. M
ealiness that resulted from the freezing treatment dissipated after 2
wk of aging for normal moisture cheeses and after 8 wk for high moistu
re cheeses. Meltability was lower after thawing and did not improve wi
th aging. The most acceptable body and texture in frozen and thawed ch
eeses were normal fat, normal moisture cheeses and high fat, normal mo
isture cheeses after 8 wk of aging. The TCA-soluble N increased signif
icantly during frozen storage and also after thawing.