Calcium Lactate → Sodium Gluconate

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Most preferably, the amount of sodium gluconate added is gauged based upon the lactate content of the cheese and the amount of sodium gluconate retained in the cheese to remain in the final cheese product in a sufficient amount to prevent the formation of calcium lactate crystals. For instance, the normal range of lactate found in Cheddar cheese is 1.1 to 1.9%, and preferably the sodium gluconate is added so the gluconate content of the cheese is within the range of about ¼ to 5/3 the lactate content of the cheese. Sodium gluconate added during or immediately after the salting step of cheese manufacture is believed to be retained at a rate similar to the retention of the sodium chloride salt, approximately 65-90%. For a Cheddar cheese containing 1.1% lactate in the final product, if the salt retention is found to be 90%, sodium gluconate is added within the range of about 0.32 to 2.0% by weight. The sodium gluconate added in the salting process is believed to be retained at a similar rate to the sodium chloride, and this 0.32 to 2.0% addition results in about 0.29 to 1.8% sodium gluconate to combat against calcium lactate crystal formation from the 1.1% lactate. Sodium gluconate is about 89% gluconate by weight, so the 0.29 to 1.8% sodium gluconate results in the inclusion of about 0.26 to 1.6% gluconate in the final cheese product. On the other end of the spectrum, for a Cheddar cheese containing 1.9% lactate in the final product, if the salt retention is found to be 65%, sodium gluconate is added within the range of about 0.77 to 4.7% by weight, resulting in about 0.50 to 3.1% sodium gluconate to combat against calcium lactate crystal formation from the 1.9% lactate. The 0.5 to 3.1% sodium gluconate results in the inclusion of about 0.45 to 2.8% gluconate in the final cheese product.

Provenance & Evidence