Whether it’s a stretchy mozzarella or an easy-to-slice Swiss, cheesemakers aim to provide consumers with high quality, consistent products. To this end, they often try to improve texture and flavor by controlling for factors like acidity and the breakdown of milk proteins by enzymes.

However, the key to better Cheddar may lie in undissolved calcium salts, according to a report by University of Wisconsin-Madison cheese scientists published recently in the International Dairy Journal.

“We’ve found that biochemical processes–like protein breakdown–aren’t the only cause of change in cheese texture and properties,” explains John Lucey, a professor of food science in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. “In Cheddar most of the initial textural changes happened over the course of about three weeks as the content of undissolved calcium salt gradually decreased.”

Lucey and his colleagues at the Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research measured the amount of undissolved calcium salt in Cheddar cheese as well as the acidity of the cheese over the course of nine months. They also monitored the cheese for changes in texture and melting properties.

“We found that changes in the cheese texture and functionality closely corresponded with changes in the undissolved calcium salt content,” Lucey explains.

Conventional models of cheesemaking dictate that the acidity of cheese, as well as the activity of bacteria and enzymes while the cheese matures, will influence texture, flavors and other properties. However, Lucey says that while those factors play some role in the final product, the amount of undissolved calcium and phosphorous salts in cheese make the biggest difference in the quality of the final product.

The latest findings are excellent news for the cheese industry in Wisconsin and nationwide, Lucey says.

“There are several major cheese processors in Wisconsin and the upper Midwest, as well as numerous small-scale operations,” he explains. “It’s often the case that makers of processed cheeses know how to make cheese but don’t have a firm understanding of the chemistry behind their systems–this work sheds light on why certain techniques are effective, as well as helps troubleshoot problems.”

Lucey has been involved with research about the role of salts in cheese manufacturing for the past 20 years, and coauthored a pioneering report on the subject. He has identified several techniques for measuring salt content, and helped to create a theoretical model for how production factors affect cheese texture.

Lucey notes that research results from the UW-Madison and the Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research move quickly into real world applications. He presented his research in April at the 2005 Wisconsin Cheese Industry Conference in La Crosse, and his findings are already part of the CDR’s short courses for cheesemakers.

“The UW and the CDR are well-situated in terms of cheese research, and all of our knowledge is transferred to industry. We’re in the perfect situation to add to the depth of understanding of cheese technology and chemistry.”