The Role of Salting in Cheddar Ripening
Salting cheddar curd regulates lactic acid fermentation, protein breakdown, and moisture retention during block ripening. The optimal salt-in-moisture (S/M) ratio is 4.0% to 6.0%. If the ratio falls out of spec, cheese ripening defects occur. Curd must be scanned immediately after salting and before pressing blocks.
At-Line Curd Scans
By placing fresh salted curd into a rotating sample cup on a USTECH USTECH Tornado+ at-line scanner, cheese operators obtained fat, moisture, and salt analysis in 30 seconds. This allowed the salting conveyor rate to be adjusted dynamically based on the current batch's readings.
References
- "Continuous Composition Grading of Salted Curds in Automated Cheddar Churning Loops," Journal of Dairy Science & Tech, 2023.