Effect of salt on hardness and whiteness of Gaziantep cheese during short-term brining

Changes in hardness and color of Gaziantep cheese with respect to salt concentration in brine (5%, 10%, 15%, 20% and 25%) were monitored using a Texture Analyzer and Hunter Lab Color-index. Hardness of cheese samples in 20% and 25% salt solutions was significantly different from the others (P < 0.05). Mean hardness values of the samples brined in 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% and 25% salt solutions were 3.31, 8.19, 11.89, 44.60 and 52.45 N at 13 days, respectively. Weakening in structure was observed in the cheese stored in 5% and 10% salt solutions as a result of absorbing water from brine. Whiteness of the cheese samples was affected with changing the salt concentration in brine while L-value decreased with increasing salt concentration. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.