Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 June 2009
The loss of moisture per pound of free moisture in a cheese is shown to depend on the moisture movement in the cheese and hence on a function of the group (diffusion rate × time/(height)2). The results of a series of experiments were correlated by means of the above expression. The variables correlated were time of storage, moisture content, fat content, air humidity, air temperature, size and shape of the cheese. Total moisture affects the free moisture value, and air humidity affects the free moisture via the equilibrium moisture. The main effect of temperature is on the rate of moisture diffusion, and the fat content also affects the rate of moisture diffusion. All experimental results for close-bodied cylindrical cheeses were approximately correlated by the expression.