RESUMO
Blue cheese is commonly aged for 60 days at 10°C after curing. However, some manufacturers store blue cheese at 4°C and the effect of lower storage temperature on blue cheese final properties is unknown. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine the effect of storage temperature and time on blue cheese mechanical behaviors. Blue cheeses were stored at 4 or 10°C for 77 days after production. Composition and small- and large-strain rheological behaviors were evaluated every 2 weeks of storage. Storage time had significant impact on blue cheese rheological behaviors; storage temperature did not. Large-strain compressive force and viscoelastic moduli decreased with storage time, and the extent of nonlinear viscoelastic behavior increased. These results indicated that sample microstructure likely weakened and was more easily deformed as storage time increased. Overall, blue cheese can be stored at 4-10°C without significant changes to its composition or mechanical behavior. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The results of this work can be used by blue cheese manufacturers to better understand the impact of storage time and temperature on blue cheese end quality. Manufacturers can take advantage of the effects of storage time on blue cheese mechanical behaviors to determine how long to age blue cheese to achieve the desired texture.
