When prodded, I suppose many at BUCHI would agree that some of the cheesiest members of the team belong to the NIR group.
Maybe that’s something to be proud of!
Cheese is delicious, after all. With a global market of around $100 Billion USD, I think there is a general agreement on the matter.
There are many ways to consume cheese, of course. Processed cheese products like fondue have their place on the cheese continuum, particular around special events like graduation parties and weddings that seem to dominate our summer calendars.
Manufacturing processed cheese products like fondue is a complex task, with special emphasis on key quality parameters like total solids and fat content.
These products are typically produced by blending one or more shredded natural cheeses with additional ingredients, such as: emulsifying salts, condiments, flavors and other goodies. This mixture is then heated and sheared until a homogeneous molten mass is obtained which can be poured into heart- or graduation-capped shaped molds or other shapes for future devouring.
In order to consistently deliver the same great-tasting product, real-time control of key quality attributes is a must. Monitoring total solids content, fat, salt, pH, homogeneity and more during a blend can allow for real-time process adjustments to meet all of the quality targets and avoid having to rework a batch. The end result: tasty cheese products (read: make money) and improved manufacturing efficiency (read: save money).
While traditional laboratory methods exist for determining the quality parameters, issues with representative sampling and the method collection times are rate-limiting.
Want to learn more? Contact Us and request Short Note #357, or ask to speak with an Applications Specialist to learn more about how you can implement NIR for better process control in cheese manufacturing.
You can also visit our NIR-Online Solutions page to learn more.
If cheese quality is on your mind, but an on-line solution isn’t a good fit, BUCHI also has milk & dairy solutions for our off-line and at-line NIR. You can use our NIR Applications Finder on-line tool to configure the perfect NIR solution for you. Choose your industry and products, then get a full listing of available pre-calibrated applications, plus a quote.
Among our pre-calibrated parameters, you’ll find: dry matter, moisture, fat, protein, lactose, fatty acids, total sugar, ash, and more.
Interested in an application that isn’t listed? Fear not! We have a team of Application Scientists at the ready. Reach them using our Application Support Request Form .
If you’re looking for the full gamut of our published cheese & dairy applications, check out the BUCHI Application Finder. You’ll find methods related to:
- Extraction
- Spray Drying
- Kjeldahl for protein determination
- Near-infrared spectroscopy
Stay cheesy, my friends!
buchinir 
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