In-line estimation of the elastic module of milk gels with variation of temperature protein concentration

The cutting time of the curd is a relevant factor to improve the quality of the cheese. Only a few studies have focused on the prediction of objective rheological parameters, such as the elastic modulus of the gel (G′) instead of a subjective cut-off time. A complete randomized factorial design with three replicates was used to determine the effect of proteins and temperature in the prediction of G′ values, gelation time and cutting time in reconstituted skimmed milk gels. The coagulation process was monitored simultaneously using an in-line light backscatter sensor operated at 880 nm and a small amplitude oscillatory rheometer. Changes in the structure of the protein during milk coagulation correlated with the signal changes derived from both the optical sensor and the rheometer. The results showed that the backscatter sensor predicts well (R²= 0.99) the time when the gel reaches a value of G′ = 30 Pa.