Effect of Cd²⁺ Cation on the Rheological Profile of a Model Soft Cheese

The aim of this work was to asses the effects of the cadmium, an ion of similar ionic radius and charge as calcium, on the rheology of a model soft cheese at different stages of manufacture. Several batches of reconstituted skim milk with 9 % (w/v) solids and four cadmium concentrations (0.14, 0.35, 0.88, 22 mM) were used to make a model mexican soft stretchable cheese whose rheological parameters, G′ (storage modulus or elastic component) and G″ (loss modulus or viscous component), at different stages of manufacture, were measured using a Stress Controlled Rheometer. All milk gels produced behaved as weak viscoelastic systems with G′ > G″ over the measured amplitude and frequency ranges. Gradual cadmium addition increased significantly both moduli with no apparent change in the rheological system (short range of loss tangent values). The comparisson of cadmium effects on the milk gels involved with those of calcium showed that both ions may have similar mode of action.