MINERAL COMPOSITION OF STORED FREEZE DRIED CHEESES IN SELECTED PACKAGING MATERIALS

摘要

The mineral composition of stored freeze dried cow milk cheese and soy cheese in selected packagingmaterials was investigated. 300g each of fresh cow milk and soy milk cheese was prepared and cut into sizesof 2x2cm dimension and a thickness of 0.2cm. The initial properties were determined using 50g each of thecheeses while the remaining 250g was freeze dried. The initial properties of the freeze dried samples weredetermined using a portion of each of the samples. A randomized experimental block design was adopted.The freeze dried samples were packaged in sterilized glass jar, plastic jar and polythene film while theunpackaged sample was used as the control sample. The samples were stored at ambient room conditions for3 months. Samples were analyzed for mineral composition monthly during the storage period. Data obtainedwere analyzed statistically to determine the effect of the packaging materials and storage durations on themineral composition of freeze dried cheese samples. Result of the mineral composition for the fresh cowmilk and soy cheese for potassium, magnesium, iron, calcium, and sodium were 7.0±0.3, 5.22±0.11,6.32±0.12, 11.12±0.40, 3.30±0.06 and 7.04±0.04, 5.14±0.14, 6.20±0.32, 10.76±0.60, 3.52±0.85respectively while the result for the freeze dried cow milk and soy cheese before storage were 7.12±0.12,5.20±0.40, 5.45±0.12, 15.85±0.03, 5.20±0.40 and 7.19±0.32, 5.10±0.60, 5.32±0.11, 13.40±0.35, 5.40±0.32respectively. Results showed that statistically, there was no significant difference in the mineral compositionof the stored cheese samples during the storage period (3 months). The packaging material type used andstorage duration has no significant effect on the minerals of the cow milk and soy milk cheeses after 3 monthsof storage. This indicates that all the packaging material types used retain the mineral composition of freezedried cheese.