Glass transition in frozen fresh cheese

The glass transition temperatures for 3 fresh cheeses were found to be in t he range of -64 to -69 degreesC as determined by Differential Scanning Calo rimetry. A glass transition temperature is only found in the aqueous phase of the cheese. In the whey it is mainly proteins and carbohydrates (i.e. la ctose, lactate, a-lactalbumin and P-lactoglobulin) which were found respons ible for forming the glass. NaCl is seen to decrease the glass transition t emperature. The amount of ice as determined by Differential Scanning Calori metry was found to increase with decreasing cooling rate and increasing fro zen storage temperatures. An observation explained by an increasing kinetic restraint on ice crystallisation as the temperature is lowered.