THE USE OF IODIZED BRINE FOR IODINE ENRICHMENT OF SEMIHARD CHEESE

Experimental Edam cheeses and a commercial semi-hard cheese were immer sed into a brine solution containing iodized salt. After 48 days of ri pening the iodine content in 3 corresponding cheese layers was measure d directly. Whereas sodium and chloride were distributed evenly by dif fusion, iodine had accumulated largely in the peripheral layers (thick ness 1 cm). The uptake within these layers was 2.5 to 4 times higher a s compared to the remaining mass of the Edam cheeses. 150 g of the ana lyzed peripheral layers contained 700 - 850 mu g total l/kg cheese whi ch would contribute more than half to the recommended daily intake for 15 to 50-year-old people. Because ripened semi-hard cheeses Cannot be iodized uniformly by brining, a declaration like 'treated in a brine with iodized salt' appears to be more correct.