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Computer Vision and Color Measurement Techniques for Inline Monitoring of Cheese Curd Syneresis

C. D. Everard^*,1, D. J. O’Callaghan^*, C. C. Fagan, C. P. O’Donnell, M. Castillo and F. A. Payne

^* Teagasc, Moorepark Food Research Centre, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland
Biosystems Engineering, School Agriculture, Food Science and Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2, Ireland
Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, University of Kentucky, 128 C.E. Barnhart Building, Lexington, 40546-0276

¹ Corresponding author: colm.everard{at}teagasc.ie

Optical characteristics of stirred curd were simultaneously monitored during syneresis in a 10-L cheese vat using computer vision and colorimetric measurements. Curd syneresis kinetic conditions were varied using 2 levels of milk pH (6.0 and 6.5) and 2 agitation speeds (12.1 and 27.2 rpm). Measured optical parameters were compared with gravimetric measurements of syneresis, taken simultaneously. The results showed that computer vision and colorimeter measurements have potential for monitoring syneresis. The 2 different phases, curd and whey, were distinguished by means of color differences. As syneresis progressed, the backscattered light became increasingly yellow in hue for circa 20 min for the higher stirring speed and circa 30 min for the lower stirring speed. Syneresis-related gravimetric measurements of importance to cheese making (e.g., curd moisture content, total solids in whey, and yield of whey) correlated significantly with computer vision and colorimetric measurements.

Key Words: syneresis • cheese • computer vision • color

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