High Resolution Magnetic Resonance Imaging Evaluation of Cheese

ABSTRACT: The curd granules/joints structure of the Emmentaler was observed by NMR micro-imaging during the different stages of cheesemaking. During the ripening process, many carbon dioxyde microbubbles have been visualized inside the curd grains, as well as some volumes of fat outside the grains. At the end of the ripening stage, images reveal the final structure does not have a uniform lipid distribution of grains: the density is high at the boundaries and low at the center. Moisture and fat content profile of the rind has been obtained and rind-dependent water and/or fat accumulations are observed. Finally, the contrast difference between curd joints and grains of the studied samples confirms that a higher draining occurs for the joints than for the grains during cheesemaking.