CHEDDAR CHEESE TEXTURE RELATED TO SALT RELEASE DURING CHEWING, MEASURED BY CONDUCTIVITY - PRELIMINARY-STUDY

Salt is dispersed throughout the matrix of Cheddar cheese. We hypothesized that the manner in which salt is released into the mouth during chewing may be directly related to cheese breakdown, and hence texture. Conductivity (used as the best estimate of salt) in the mouth was continually monitored during consumption of a range of Cheddars. Characteristics of conductivity changes varied between cheeses. Relationships were observed between such changes and instrumental and sensory measures of texture. This preliminary study, based on responses of a single subject, suggests the potential of salt release data to help distinguish texture in cheese.