Why Cheese Yield Prediction Matters
Small variations in milk composition (fat, casein, lactose) and coagulation parameters lead to significant differences in final cheese yield. Over-retaining moisture leads to soft defects; over-pressing loses fat in the whey drainage. Predicting final curd yield before pressing allows cheese makers to adjust cutting, heating, and salting times in the vat.
Building PLS Yield Models in caliX
By compiling spectroscopic scans of vat milk and corresponding lab results using the caliX Spectral Intelligence suite, the dairy plant constructed a robust PLS regression model. The model predicts moisture-in-curd with high accuracy, enabling automated decisions on vat draw-down timings.
| Parameter | Range | Root Mean Square Error of Cross-Validation (RMSECV) |
|---|---|---|
| Curd Moisture | 38.0% — 46.0% | —0.18% |
| Fat-in-Dry-Matter (FDM) | 48.0% — 54.0% | —0.25% |
References
- "Multivariate Chemometric Calibrations for Coagulation Kinetics in Cheddar Cheesemaking," Dairy Research Communications, 2024.