Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Measuring – testing – or controlling by inanimate means
Patent
1999-03-01
2000-10-31
Cano, Milton
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Measuring, testing, or controlling by inanimate means
426478, 426518, G01N 3304, G01N 308
Patent
active
061398896
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an apparatus and method for the quantification of the stretchability of cheese. The invention is particularly concerned with the measurement of the stretchability of mozzarella type cheese for use on cooked pizza pies.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Mozzarella cheese production has grown considerably in recent years, especially in the USA, where current annual production, at circa 938,000 tonnes, amounts to circa 29% of total U.S. cheese manufactured (McMahon et al., 1993; Residuary Milk Marketing Board, 1995; Personal communication, 1996--Michael Hickey, Member of IDF Group D31). This markedly exceeds that of Italy (i.e. 150,000 tonnes), the country of origin and world's second largest producer. The growth rate has been slower elsewhere but is now escalating, with significant expansion in Ireland, Denmark and New Zealand. The impetus for the dynamic growth of Mozzarella consumption has been the growing popularity of pizza pie, i.e. baked dough pie covered with cheese, tomato puree and other adjuncts such as salami and mushroom. The main type of Mozzarella used in this application is low moisture (45-52%), (USDA, 1976; Office of the Federal Register, 1986), the traditional Mozzarella (.about.57-60% moisture) being consumed mainly as a table cheese or as an accompaniment in salads.
The shredability of low moisture Mozzarella and its capacity to melt, flow, stretch and possess chewiness on cooking/baking make it ideal for use in pizza pies. However, its ability to stretch and form long strings when extended makes low moisture Mozzarella unique in pizza applications. Other cheeses, such as Cheddar and Provolone also have the ability to melt and flow on cooking/baking. However, these cheeses which have a relatively high level of proteolysis when mature, exhibit inferior stretch properties compared to low moisture Mozzarella. Owing to the widespread use of cheese in cooking applications, numerous studies have been undertaken vis-a-vis the development of methodology for assessing the melt, flow and consistency characteristics of cooked cheese (Arnott et al., 1957; Kosikowski, 1982; Rayan et al., 1980; Hokes et al., 1982; Park et al., 1984; Masi 1989; Kindstedt et al., 1989a, b). In contrast few investigations have dealt with the measurement of the capacity of coked molten cheese to stretch when extended. At commercial level this property is largely assessed by lifting the cooked cheese with a fork. While this method has merit in that it simulates consumer behaviour, it is very subjective as a quality control tool, as the stretchability depends on the depth to which the fork is embedded in the molten cheese mass and the rate at which it is lifted. Hence, objective methods for the determination of stretchability have appeared recently in the scientific literature (Addeo & Masi, 1992; Cavella et al., 1992; Ak et al., 1993; Apostolopoulos, 1994; Pagliarini & Beatrice, 1994; Ak & Gunasekaran, 1995). Some of these methods are based on uniaxial extension of heated cheese samples (e.g. slices, cylinders) of given dimensions using a Universal Instron-type instrument or load-cell (Ak et al., 1993; Pagliarini & Beatrice, 1994; Ak & Gunasekaran, 1995). The resulting force-displacement curves were used to determine the force required to achieve a certain displacement (i.e. stretch), the force and displacement at fracture and/or the elastic modulus and viscosity of the extended sample. The methods of Addeo & Masi, 1992 and Cavella et al. (1992), involved measurement of the force required to break a string (.about.1 mm thick) of melted cheese, extruded using a piston type capillary rheometer, and the percentage elongation of the string at fracture. While these methods are objective in their approach, their complexity and the operator skill required makes them somewhat unsuitable for routine rapid evaluation of stretchability. Moreover, the methods employ conditions of cheese melting (e.g. in oil bath at temperatures of 10-40.degree. C.) and extension which do not simulate very c
REFERENCES:
C. Apostolopoulos, "Simple empirical and fundamental methods to determine objectively the stretchability of Mozzarella cheese", Journal of Dairy Research, vol. 61, 1994, pp. 405-413.
Guinee Timothy P.
O'Callaghan Donal J.
Cano Milton
Teagasc, The Agriculture and Food Development Authority
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