The role of calcium (Ca) in modulating the textural and rheological properties of brine-salted Gouda-type cheese during ripening was investigated, with particular emphasis on the alteration of Ca between the soluble (SOL) and insoluble (INSOL) phases. Several studies, mostly pertaining to dry-salted Cheddar and Mozzarella variants, have described the dynamic equilibrium which exists between INSOL Ca phosphate in milk/cheese (CCP) and the SOL Ca in the aqueous phase of dairy products, and its influence on cheese texture and rheology. This thesis aims to explore the association between the changes in CCP concentration and the textural, functional and rheological properties of brine-salted continental-type cheese during ripening.
