Shrinkage and water content distribution during curd draining studied by MRI: effect of cutting

In cheese technology, curd draining is an important step at the onset of the dynamics of the chemical composition and structure of the ripened cheese. Draining involves several interdependent mechanism, such as the shrinkage of the gel, water transfer, and pH changes. The mechanical properties of the gel prevent any handling and thus non-invasive techniques are required to monitor draining and to provide kinetic information regarding its mechanism. Recently we developed a non-invasive method based on the Magnetic Resonance Imaging technique. This MRI method allows to quantify the curd shrinkage, to quantify the water content distribution inside the gel, and the amount of whey expelled. Then, we present the possible uses of this method as applied to the effect of cutting protocol and water transfer and curd shrinkage.