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Search research reports:
Optical Sensor Measurement of Food Composition Based on Light Scattering Distribution
F.A. Payne, C. Crofcheck, P. Menguc
Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering
Project Description
Control of syneresis is critical in order to control the moisture content of cheese, which has a tremendous impact on the quality attributes of cheese. Unfortunately, there are currently no technologies available for monitoring curd syneresis. Rather, syneresis is empirically controlled, all over the world, by processing for specific temperatures and times. A novel optical sensor technology that is able to monitor both milk coagulation and curd syneresis in a stirred cheese vat (note that curd moisture control requires control of milk coagulation, cutting time and syneresis) has been developed. The new syneresis technology consists of a unique large field of view optical sensor that provides the information about gel assembly and curd shrinkage kinetics required for curd moisture control.
Impact
The technology makes use of a specific light waveband which yields the kinetics of syneresis and regression models which predict cutting time, whey fat losses, cheese yield and curd moisture content. Curd moisture as a function of processing time can be predicted with a SEP of 1.72% over the range of 50 to 90% curd moisture content. Thus, this technology could be used for manufacturing of low, medium and high moisture cheeses. From an applicative point of view this technology would provide more consistent and efficienct production capability. The technology also would save energy by avoiding unnecessary syneresis processing and allow cheese maker to shift curd size as milk solids change during the year. Further, real time action would be possible in order to obtain the desired curd moisture content if culture inhibition occurs due to bacteriophage or agglutination problems. This technology is considered to offers the potential for a comprehensive process control of cheese making in the vat and for predicting curd moisture.
Several cheese making facilities (Brewster Cheese Inc., and Kraft Foods Inc.) and an engineering firm (ESEInc.) have expressed an interest in this technology for cheese manufacture. Two patent applications have been submitted on this sensor technology to control curd moisture content during syneresis in cheese making.