SMALL AMPLITUDE OSCILLATORY SHEAR STUDIES ON MOZZARELLA CHEESE PART I. REGION OF LINEAR VISCOELASTICITY

Abstract

ABSTRACT Changes in texture of a low‐moisture, part‐skim and a low‐fat, part‐skim Moz‐zarella cheese during heating were examined by measuring their rheological properties using small amplitude oscillatory shear (SAOS) tests after 1, 4 and 12 weeks of refrigerated storage. In general, the linear viscoelastic range decreases with increasing temperature and age because cheese behaves more like a viscoelastic solid at lower temperature and shorter ripening time. The dynamic rheological properties (η*, G′ and G″) were constant within a range of 0.05% shear strain. The dynamic rheological properties of low‐fat, part‐skim Mozzarella were found to be higher than that of low‐moisture, part‐skim Mozzarella within the linear viscoelastic range.