Impact of Cooking pH Values on the Textural and Chemical Properties for Processed Cheeses with/without the Use of Traditional Village Cheese during Storage

Processed cheeses (PCs) were made under varying cooking pH values (5.3, 5.4, 5.5, and 5.6) using a processed cheese cooker. Along with emulsifying salts (2.5%), distilled water, NaCl (2%) and a colouring agent under these cooking pH values, the PC samples made with either 100% fresh curd and rennet casein coded processed cheese control ($PC_C$) as control or ~70% fresh curd-~30% traditional village cheese coded processed cheese with village cheese ($PC_V$). The main aim of this study was to determine the effect of the varying cooking pH values on the textural properties for the PCv samples compared with the control sample during 90 days of storage. Chemical and textural properties of all PC samples were investigated over time. The chemical compositions of the PC samples (dry matter and ash) increased at d 90 of storage significantly, due to 1-d ripening of all PC samples at ambient temperature in terms of the manufacturing protocol of the cheese. The textural properties of the PC samples were altered by the varying cooking pH values. It may propose that the interactions of the proteins at the cooking pH values during processing and biochemical mechanisms in the cheese systems could likely affect the texture of the PC samples over time. Hardness, gumminess and chewiness values of all PC samples also increased over time (p<0.05). This study is also to give some knowledge on the design of PC manufacture to cheese makers, and a marketing opportunity to local cheese makers who individually make a traditional village cheese in Turkey.