Cheese
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Edam cheese
In cheese making, milk is coagulated and then converted from a colloidal dispersion to a gel known as a curd. Water in the form of whey is then released from the curd to drop the moisture content to typically less than 40%.
Water and the control of its loss is one of the most important factors in successful cheese making. Clearly, low-temperature cryo-SEM is an important method for successfully investigating the structure of this type of foodstuff.
This micrograph illustrates a water-in-oil type emulsion in which the continuous phase is a mixture of protein and lipid, and the dispersion phase - in the form of droplets - is a mixture of water and whey proteins.
The Edam cheese shown was rapidly frozen in nitrogen slush, fractured, sublimated and sputter coated.
Emmental cheese
NB: See above for description of cheese making, and why water and the control of its loss is one of the most important factors.
Low-temperature cryo-SEM is an important method for successfully investigating the structure of this type of foodstuff.
This micrograph illustrates a water-in-oil type emulsion in which the continuous phase is a mixture of protein and lipid, and the dispersion phase - in the form of droplets - is a mixture of water and whey proteins.
The Emmental cheese shown was rapidly frozen in nitrogen slush, fractured, sublimated and observed uncoated.
Fungi (Penicillium roqueforti) in blue Stilton cheese
NB: See above for description of cheese making, and why water and the control of its loss is one of the most important factors.
Low-temperature cryo-SEM is an important method for successfully investigating the structure of this type of foodstuff.
The presence of fungi (Penicillium roqueforti) gives blue cheese its distinctive veined appearance.
This micrograph illustrates a water-in-oil type emulsion in which the continuous phase is a mixture of protein and lipid, and the dispersion phase - in the form of droplets - is a mixture of water and whey proteins.
The Stilton cheese shown was rapidly frozen in nitrogen slush, fractured, sublimated and sputter coated.
Mozzarella cheese
NB: See above for description of cheese making, and why water and the control of its loss is one of the most important factors.
Low-temperature cryo-SEM is an important method for successfully investigating the structure of this type of foodstuff.
This micrograph illustrates a water-in-oil type emulsion in which the continuous phase is a mixture of protein and lipid, and the dispersion phase - in the form of droplets - is a mixture of water and whey proteins.
The Mozzarella cheese shown was rapidly frozen in nitrogen slush, fractured, sublimated and observed uncoated.