Use of ultrasound to assess Cheddar cheese characteristics

Blocks of Cheddar cheese were matured in temperature-controlled chambers at 5 and 12 degrees C. The ultrasonic velocity increased during maturation ranging from 1657 to 1677 m s(-1) at 12 degrees C and from 1684 to 1693 m s(-1) at 5 degrees C. The ultrasonic velocity was related to the square root of the deformability modulus and the slope in puncture. The increase of velocity during maturation shows the feasibility of using an ultrasonic device to non-destructively monitor Cheddar cheese maturity. Ultrasound velocity was measured at different temperatures. The velocity decreased with increasing temperature, and from the slope of the first part of the temperature-velocity curves it was possible to non-destructively assess the moisture content of different types of cheese. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.