title: Cheese maturity assessment using ultrasonics.
abstract: The relationship between Mahon cheese maturity and ultrasonic velocity was examined. Moisture and textural properties were used as maturity indicators. The ultrasonic velocity of the cheese varied between 1630 and 1740 m/s, increasing with the curing time mainly because of loss of water, which also produced an increase of the textural properties. Because of the nature of low-intensity ultrasonics, velocity was better related to those textural parameters that involved small displacements. Ultrasonic velocity decreased with increasing temperature because of the negative temperature coefficient of the ultrasonic velocity of fat and the melting of fat. These results highlight the potential use of ultrasonic velocity measurements to rapidly and nondestructively assess cheese maturity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Technology, Polytechnic University of Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Benedito
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carcel
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Clemente
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mulet
mesh_terms: D002611:Cheese; D005525:Food-Processing Industry; D011786:Quality Control; D013696:Temperature; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D014867:Water