doi: 10.1111/1471-0307.

12139

ORIGINAL
RESEARCH Influence of storage, brine concentration and
in-container heat treatment on the stability of white
brined Nabulsi cheese
MAHER M AL-DABBAS,1 MOHAMMED SALEH,1* MAHMOUD H
A B U - G H O U S H , 2 K H A L I D A L - I S M A I L 1 and T A R E Q O S A I L I 3
1
Department of Nutrition and Food Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, The University of Jordan, Amman 11942,
2
Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, Allied and Health Science Collage, The Hashemite University, Zarqa
13133, and 3Department of Nutrition and Food Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Jordan University of Science and
Technology, Irbid, Jordan

Microbial levels were significantly (P < 0.05) affected by the temperature-time treatments used dur-
ing in-container heat treatment of the curd, brine concentration and storage duration. A heat treat-
ment of 115 °C 9 2 min, in the absence of NaCl, was sufficient to eliminate Mesophilic micro-
organisms, Coliforms, Staphylococcus aureus and Yeast and Moulds for the duration of 1 year of
storage. Sensory scores for colour, appearance and texture increased significantly (P < 0.05) with
the increase in the NaCl in brine concentration regardless of the temperature-time treatment.
Keywords Cheese, Shelf life, Storage, Acceptability, Cheese microbiology.

cheesemaking and the particular flavour of mah-

INTRODUCTION
White brined Nabulsi cheese is a semihard
unfermented cheese that is the most popular and
economically important traditional cheese in Jor-
dan and the Middle East (Caric 1987). Nabulsi
cheese is considered as the principle cheese con-
sumed in Jordan (Tamime and Robinson 1991).
The cheese is traditionally made by renneting
unpasteurised cow, sheep or goat milk or their
mixtures without starter culture addition (Yama-
ni et al. 1998). The pressed curd obtained after
renneting is then boiled in brine solution (18–
20% w/v), manually filled and stored at room
temperature in large cans (5–15 kg) with brine
solution (~20% w/v) for up to 2 years. Nabulsi
cheese is mainly consumed at breakfast or as a
snack or used as an ingredient in some tradi-
tional sweets (Mazahreh et al. 2009).
Nabulsi cheese has distinct sensory and tex-
tural characteristics that are described in detail
by Humeid and Tukan (1986). In brief, Nabulsi
*Author for cheese is characterised by its yellowish colour
correspondence. E-mail: that is attributed to the use of cow’s milk, a
misaleh@ju.edu.jo
semihard cheese without gas holes that becomes
© 2014 Society of soft and elastic when heated. Moreover, the
Dairy Technology type of milk (hence the cow’s diet) used in
lab (Prunus mahaleb) and mastic (Pistacia len-
tiscus) influence the flavour and organoleptic
characteristics of this cheese. The white colour
of Nabulsi cheese is an important factor for con-
sumer acceptance and directly related to product
quality. Colour or appearance of the cheese is
related to its physical structure and chemical
nature (Rudan et al. 1998).
Preservation of white brined Nabulsi cheese
depends mainly on boiling the cheese before
storage with high salt concentration brine solu-
tions (Humeid et al. 1990). Many undesirable
changes, however, such as discolouration, off-
flavour production, slime and gas formation,
bitterness and textural problems may occur in
cheese produced by the traditional methods
during storage when it is stored in large cans, in
spite of the use of high brine concentrations
(Yamani et al. 1997; Mazahreh et al. 2009).
Postprocessing contamination during the repeated
opening of the cheese cans during consumption
are considered as the main causes of spoilage of
white brined Nabulsi cheese (Humeid et al.
1990). Such contamination was attributed to the
growth of a halophilic micro-organism that was
isolated and identified by Saleh (1998).

Vol 67, No 3 August 2014 International Journal of Dairy Technology 427

Vol 67, No 3 August 2014
White brined Nabulsi cheese is usually consumed after
partial or complete removal of salt by soaking in water due
to salty taste of the stored product. Therefore, production of
cheese with low salt concentration in closed economical
containers such as 1 kg tin cans or glass jars would have
the advantage of eliminating postprocessing contamination
(which can occur after traditional boiling, reshaping, manual
filling and repeated opening of cans) and increased demand
for such ready-to-eat cheese.
Successful results have been achieved in different studies
designed to eliminate postprocessing contamination and to
enhance the keeping qualities during storage of white brined
Nabulsi chesses (Yamani et al. 1987; Humeid et al. 1990;
Abu-Ghoush 1992; Mazahreh et al. 2009). Humeid et al.
(1990) for instance, reported that steaming Nabulsi cheese
in-bag was superior to traditionally produced cheese due to
the uniformity of the heat treatment. In-bag produced
cheese was organoleptically acceptable after storage for
more than 9 months. Yamani et al. (1987) indicated accept-
able organoleptic characteristics for Nabulsi cheese filled
with cold brine (20 °C) after 1 year of storage. These
authors, however, reported that some of the cheese samples
filled with hot brine (85 °C) showed softening and disinte-
gration after 10 months of storage. Additionally, Mazahreh
et al. (2009) reported that a decrease in the pH of Nabulsi
cheese to 4 by the addition of lactic acid allowed the reduc-
tion of brine concentration to 10% without any adverse
effect on the texture and sensory quality of the cheese.
Abu-Ghoush (1992) also reported that using curd pasteuri-
sation as an alternative to traditional methods in an attempt
to improve the product quality was preferable to the tradi-
tional method in all quality parameters except the microbial
destruction rates. However, no previous studies on the
effect of different heat treatments and different brine con-
centrations, and combinations on microbial and sensory
characteristics of white brined Nabulsi cheese have been
reported in the literature.
The objective of this study was to determine the microbi-
ological and sensory characteristics of white brined Nabulsi
cheese produced from cow’s milk with different tempera-
ture-time curd heat treatments and salt concentrations, when
kept in 1 kg hermetically, sealed glass jars from manufac-
ture and stored for up to 1 year at room temperature.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Materials
Milk: fresh cows whole milk, clean and cooled (5 °C), was
obtained from the pilot plant of The University of Jordan,
Amman, Jordan. The initial pH and titratable acidity (as lac-
tic acid) were 6.74 and 0.12%, respectively.
Coagulant; The purified microbial rennet powder (Renni-
max 1/150, commercial Mucor miehei rennet powder)
obtained from Tulip Co., origin of Spain, Amman, Jordan).
428
The usage rate of rennimax powder (2250 IMCU/g) is in
the range of 2–3 g/100 L of milk. Salt was of a fine grade
(purity 99.7%) obtained from local market (Amra Salt Co.,
Sahab, Jordan).
Cheesemaking
Nabulsi cheeses were manufactured in duplicate from the
same batch of milk according to traditional procedures,
described by Humeid and Tukan (1986) and Humeid et al.
(1990) apart from the type of milk coagulating enzyme used
(Figure 1). A fungal proteolytic enzyme was used instead of
calf rennet in this study due to its high milk-clotting, low
proteolytic activities and higher yield of cheese than calf
rennet (Seker et al. 1998). In brief, 250 L of raw cow’s
milk was clarified using cheese cloth into a 500 L vat,
warmed to 33–35 °C, then coagulated by adding 2.5 g/
100 L milk of microbial rennet (commercial Mucor miehei
rennet powder; Tulip) and allowed to set for 30–45 min
before cutting (i.e.time was determined by the easy separa-
tion of whey from the curds). The curd was cut into slices,
transferred into a cheese cloth within a container
(50 9 50 cm) and pressed under weights to expel the whey
(pressure of approx. 0.32 kPa) for up to 2 h. The pressed
curd was then cut into small rectangular blocks
(4 9 2 9 1 cm). Dry salt was sprinkled on to the cheese
blocks at the rate of 3 g/kg, and the blocks were left for 6 h
at room temperature (i.e. time needed for the maximum
water drainage from cheese pieces). Blocks of curd of a
total mass of 1 kg were then filled into 2.5 L glass jars,
containing brine for heat treatment.
Heat treatment of the curd
The glass jars were filled up with previously boiled hot
brine solutions at concentrations of 0, 5, 10 or 20% NaCl
and temperatures between 60–70 °C in a 1:1 w/w brine:
cheese ratio. An empty head space of 10% of the jars vol-
ume was left before tightly closing the glass storage jars
(i.e. as described by the manufacturer) to achieve a hermetic
seal. Three temperature/time combinations (90 °C/10 min,
100 °C/5 min or 115 °C/2 min) were applied on different
glass jars using a food retort. To measure the temperature in
the jars during heating, a probe was inserted 1.5 cm above
the geometrical centre of the jar and connected via a ther-
mocouple wire to a digital thermometer (305 CIE, Belmont,
NC, USA) from which the temperature was recorded. This
slowest heating rate point (cold point) inside the filled jars
was determined previously as described by Lopez (1987)
and by Abu-Alruz (1999).
The glass jars were cooled to room temperature (i.e.
approximately 22–25 °C, air cooled) after heat treatments.
Control samples were prepared where cheese samples were
kept in 20% NaCl brine solution with no retort treatment.
Cheese samples were stored as room temperature (i.e.
approximately 22–25 °C) and analysed for microbial and
© 2014 Society of Dairy Technology
Vol 67, No 3 August 2014

Warming cow’s milk to about 33-35 ºC

Addition of microbial rennet (2.5g/100 L milk) and setting of milk for 30-45 min

Cutting the curd into small cubes and the curd drainage for 10 min for whey separation

Draining (Pressing in cheese cloth using weights for 2 hr)

Molding (Cutting the curd into small rectangular blocks)

Dry salting (Sprinkling of curd pieces with salt ~ 3 % w/w and rest for 3-6 hr)

Boiling (100 oC) curd pieces in brine containing not less than 18% sodium chloride

Removal of curd pieces from the brine for cooling

Packaging (curd placed in 5 kg tin containers with the brine in which the cheese was boiled)
Storage at room temperature for one year
Figure 1 Flow diagram for the manufacture of Nabulsi cheese.

sensory characteristics during 12 months of storage at 3- coli O157:H7 and Brucella were assayed using the FDA
month intervals. methods (Andrews et al. 2008).

Microbiological analysis Chemical analysis

Microbiological analysis was performed on both raw and
heat treated cheese samples. One jar from each set (i.e.
one brined and three heat treated) was taken for microbial
and sensory analysis after 3-month storage. Ten gram
cheese samples in triplicate from each treatment were
weighed and dispersed aseptically in 90-mL-sterilised buf-
fered peptone water and homogenised in a sterile polyeth-
ylene bag using a Stomacher (Stomacher 400; Lab
Blender, West Sussex, UK) for 2 min. Appropriate deci-
mal dilutions were prepared. The enumeration of total
Mesophilic bacteria (Plate count Agar; Merck, Gernsheim,
Germany) at 30 °C for 48 h, total Coliforms (Violet Red
Bile Agar; Merck) at 37 °C for 48 h, Staphylococcus aur-
eus (Baird-Parker Agar; Merck) at 37 °C for 48 h and
Yeasts and Moulds (Potato Dextrose Agar; Merck) at
25 °C for 7 days was performed. Salmonella, Escherichia
Moisture, total ash, fat, protein, salt and pH of raw cheese
sample were determined according to the standard methods
of analysis (AOAC 1990). Crude protein value was based
on Kjeldahl nitrogen with a conversion factor of 6.38.
Cheese pH was measured using a pH meter (Hanna instru-
ments, Woonsocket, RI, USA).
Sensory analysis
Sensory evaluation of white brined cheese stored for 0, 3, 6,
9 and 12 months was conducted in the Food Science Labo-
ratories at the University of Jordan. A total of seventeen
panellists in-house trained in descriptive analysis methodol-
ogy (11 male and 6 female) aged 22–50 years were used in
this study. Panellists were trained to quantify the following
quality attributes: colour (whiteness and yellowish), texture
(softness and firmness), overall taste (flavour and odour)

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and appearance (exterior, interior) of the experimental
cheese samples. Attributes of the samples were identified,
and intensities were quantified in three orientation ses-
sions. During each orientation session the panellists were
familiarised with the quality attribute range found in Nab-
ulsi cheese. A nine point hedonic scale (1 = dislike extre-
mely to 9 = like extremely, according to Meilgaard et al.
1999) was used to rank the acceptability of samples.
Samples were coded using random three digit numbers in
a randomised serving order, and samples were evaluated
in duplicate.
Statistical analysis
All treatments were repeated twice. Chemical and microbial
tests were performed in triplicate on the cheese samples.
Statistical calculations were performed using statistical analy-
sis system, SAS program (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC,
USA). Significant differences among means of treatments
were determined using LSD test. Differences at P < 0.05
were considered to be significant.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Chemical composition
Moisture, protein, fat, ash, salt content and pH of
freshly brined, nonheated Nabulsi cheese were
61.1  1.8%, 13.6  1.5%, 17.2  1.6%, 8.0  0.2%,
5.2  0.4%, and 6.45  0.17%, respectively. The chemi-
cal composition results were broadly in agreement with
those reported by Ayyash and Shah (2011) except for
protein and fat content. Those authors reported 59.1%
moisture content, 25.2% protein, 22.4% fat, 10.9% ash
and pH 6.4 for Nabulsi cheese. Chemical composition
variation was attributed to the type and source of milk,
conditions of cheese production, seasonal variations, cow’s
or goat feed, degree of curd pressing and whey drainage.

Table 1 Counts (log cfu/g) of microbial groups (listed below) in raw and heat treated white brined Nabulsi cheese during storage at room
temperature in different concentrations of brine solution

Cheesea Heat treatment (°C/min) Storage (month) Mesophilic bacteria Coliform S. aureus Yeasts and Moulds
Raw No Heat Treatment After manufacture 8.91A 6.03A 2.48A 5.56A
Traditional (Brine 20%) Boiling (100 °C)/10 min 0 4.38B 2.22B 2.00A <1B
3 2.48C 1.54C 1.36B <1B
6 ND ND ND ND
9 ND ND ND ND
12 ND ND ND ND
Brine 0% 90 °C/10 min 0 1.47E ND ND ND
3 2.60D ND ND ND
6 4.22C ND ND ND
9 5.81B ND ND ND
12 7.13A ND ND ND
100 °C/5 min 0 1.17E ND ND ND
3 2.55D ND ND ND
6 3.73C ND ND ND
9 4.96B ND ND ND
12 6.23A ND ND ND
115 °C/2 min 0, 3, 6, 9, 12 ND ND ND ND
Brine 5% 90 °C/10 0, 3, 6, 9, 12 ND ND ND ND
100 °C/5 0, 3, 6, 9, 12 ND ND ND ND
115 °C/2 0, 3, 6, 9, 12 ND ND ND ND
Brine 10% 90 °C/10 0, 3, 6, 9, 12 ND ND ND ND
100 °C/5 0, 3, 6, 9, 12 ND ND ND ND
115 °C/2 0, 3, 6, 9, 12 ND ND ND ND
Brine 20% 90 °C/10 0, 3, 6, 9, 12 ND ND ND ND
100 °C/5 0, 3, 6, 9, 12 ND ND ND ND
115 °C/2 0, 3, 6, 9, 12 ND ND ND ND
Means within the same heat treatment and column with different letters are significantly different (P < 0.05).
ND, Not detected.
a
Raw: white cheese produced by traditional method without heat treatment, boiled, manually filled and stored in 0, 5, 10 and 20% previously
boiled brine solution.

430 © 2014 Society of Dairy Technology

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Table 2 Comparison of temperature-time treatments at 90 °C, 110 °C and 115 °C for 10, 5 and 2 min, respectively, in various brine solution concentrations (0, 5, 10, 20% w/v) on the
sensory properties of experimental white brined Nabulsi cheese with cheese produced by the traditional method during storage

Appearance Colour Texture Taste

© 2014 Society of Dairy Technology

C 0 5 10 20 C 0 5 10 20 C 0 5 10 20 C 0 5 10 20
Storage (month) % Brine
90 °C/10 min
0 6.52dc 4.24a 5.73a 6.52a 8.01c 7.53a 6.05a 7.14a 8.12a 8.51a 6.33a 5.24a 6.03a 8.32a 8.71a 6.03a 8.22a 8.71a 8.12ba 6.33a
3 6.32d 4.04b 5.03b 6.32a 8.11cb 7.32a 5.24b 6.73ba 7.32b 8.41a 6.43a 4.05b 5.14b 7.22b 8.81a 4.24b 6.13b 7.92b 8.41a 4.04b
6 6.72c 3.15c 4.24c 6.33a 8.21b 6.23b 4.04c 6.53b 7.32b 8.21b 6.43a 2.1 5c 4.64b 7.02b 8.51b 3.82c ND ND 8.01b 3.23c
9 7.12b 2.05d 3.14d 5.83b 8.61a 6.23b 3.74d 6.72ba 8.21c 7.91c 6.52a 1.04d 3.03c 6.52c 8.11c 3.12d ND ND 8.21ba 2.82d
12 7.82a 1.04e 1.04e 5.03c 8.51a 6.03b 2.14e 5.73bc 7.52c 8.51a 6.62a 1.04d 2.33d 6.52c 8.51b 2.42e ND ND 8.31ba 2.03e
100 °C/5 min
0 6.52dc 6.13a 6.432a 6.52a 7.41d 7.52a 5.64a 6.2 3a 7.62c 8.11ba 6.33a 3.85a 5.04a 8.02a 8.41cb 6.03a 9.01a 8.721a 8.42a 5.83a
3 6.32d 3.84b 5.33b 6.62a 7.71c 7.33a 5.35b 6.14ba 7.72bc 8.11ba 6.43a 2.75b 4.34b 7.82a 8.5 1b 4.23b 4.75b 8.54a 7.92b 4.31b
6 6.72c 2.84c 4.0 3c 6.5 2a 8.01b 6.22b 5.03c 5.33b 7.71bc 7.81c 6.43a 1.0 5c 3.24c 7.12b 8.0 1d 3.82c ND ND 7.51c 3.82c
9 7.12b 1.0 5d 3.1 4d 5.3 3b 7.9 1b 6.22b 4.14d 4.63c 8.01ba 8.01b 6.53a 1.0 5c 2.54d 7.32b 8.3 1c 3.13d ND ND 7.61cb 3.52d
12 7.82a 1.04d 1.0 4e 4.73c 8.3 1a 6.02b 2.03e 2.33d 8.11a 8.21a 6.63a 1.0 4c 1.04e 7.22b 8.7 1a 2.42e ND ND 7.51c 3.23e
115 °C/2 min
0 6.53dc 3.05a 4.54a 7.02a 8.41b 7.521a 3.14a 5.33a 7.22ba 7.71ba 6.32a 3.04a 5.73a 7.71a 8.01c 6.04a 8.71a 8.81a 8.32a 7.33a
3 6.33d 2.15b 3.24b 7.22a 8.71a 7.31a 1.53b 5.62a 7.31ba 7.61b 6.43a 1.75b 5.24a 7.02b 8.51b 4.23b 8.81a 8.61a 7.52b 4.03b
6 6.72c 1.04c 2.23c 7.02a 8.71a 6.23b 1.25c 5.64a 7.12ba 7.81a 6.43a 1.05c 4.14b 6.82b 8.91a 3.83c 8.71a 8.71a 6.42c 3.94b
9 7.12b 1.03c 1.03d 7.32a 8.51b 6.22b 1.04d 5.73a 7.41a 7.61b 6.53a 1.05c 2.64c 6.9ba 8.81a 3.13d 8.81a 8.81a 5.02d 2.83c
12 7.82a 1.04c 1.04d 6.93b 8.21c 6.03b 1.05d 5.54a 7.02b 7.71ba 6.63a 1.04c 1.04d 7.12b 8.61b 2.43e 8.71a 8.61a 4.32e 2.04d
Means of sensory attributes (Appearance, colour, texture and taste) of the same column (the same temperature/time and brine solution) stored for 0, 3, 6, 9 and 12 weeks having differ-
ence letters are significantly (P < 0.05) different according to LSD. Means of the same attribute within the same raw having different superscripted number are significantly (P < 0.05)
different according to LSD.
C: Control treatment of Nabulsi cheese stored in 20% brine solution.
ND, Not determined.

431
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Moreover, the ratio of total solids, salt content and mois-
ture content is highly affected by brining conditions and
storage time (Guinee and Fox 1993 and Hayaloglu et al.
2002).
Microbiological quality
The microbial counts of cheese samples before and after
heat treatments are shown in Table 1. Salmonella, E. coli
O157:H7 and Brucella were not detected in any of raw
cheese samples but other microbial groups were present in
raw cheese. Mesophiles, Coliform, S. aureus and Yeasts
and Moulds were present in high numbers. The high num-
bers of total Mesophilic bacteria (8.91 log cfu/g), Coliform
(6.03 log cfu/g), S. aureus (2.48 log cfu/g) and Yeasts and
Moulds (5.56 log cfu/g) in raw cheese indicates that micro-
bial contamination of the raw unpasteurised milk used for
cheese manufacture was very high, and/or contamination by
environmental flora during cheese processing in an open
atmosphere or by cheese cloth used in curd pressing was
possible. The counts of total Mesophilic bacteria (4.38 and
2.48 log cfu/g), Coliform (2.22 and 1.54 cfu/g) and
S. aureus (2.00 and 1.36 log cfu/g) were high after process-
ing and after 3 months of storage, respectively. These high
counts were probably due to postprocessing contamination
and lack of hygiene during manual filling and reshaping of
cheese pieces by hand. However, total Mesophilic bacteria
and S. aureus viable numbers decreased significantly
(P < 0.05) throughout the storage period at the high brine
concentration (20%) which adversely affects the growth of
bacteria (Tukan and Humeid 1991).
The populations of Mesophilic bacteria in cheese samples
treated at 90 °C/10 min or 100 °C/5 min and stored in 0%
brine solution were high and increased significantly through-
out the storage period, reaching their highest numbers at
12 months of storage at room temperature. The presence of
Mesophilic bacteria in high numbers could be due to a high
initial microbial load in the raw cheese, low salt content of
cheese, insufficient temperature-time combinations and a
long storage period under nonrefrigerated conditions which
may encourage the growth of micro-organisms such as halo-
philic bacteria, which are known as slow growing bacteria
(Grant and Larsen 1989; Tukan and Humeid 1991). There
were no viable microbial groups detected in cheese treated
at 115 °C/2 min and stored in 0% brine solution during
storage period. This indicates that this treatment is sufficient
for cheese preservation for 1 year at room temperature.
All the temperature-time combinations that were applied
regardless of the concentrations of brine solutions (5%, 10%
or 20%) were efficient in eliminating all the groups of
micro-organisms that existed in raw cheese and had the abil-
ity to preserve the in-jar heated cheese throughout the stor-
age period. It is expected that moisture was expelled from
the cheese into brine in these treatments, and salt diffused
from brine solution into the cheese until equilibrium was
432
achieved during storage which enhanced the keeping ability
of the stored cheese pieces.
Sensory characteristics
The sensory properties of white brined Nabulsi cheese
made from cow’s milk and stored at different brine con-
centrations and heated in brine at various temperature-time
treatments combinations are shown in Table 2. Mean sen-
sory scores for the appearance, colour and texture of
cheese treatments kept in 20% brine solution were signifi-
cantly (P < 0.05) greater than when kept in 0, 5 and 10%
brine samples regardless of heat-time treatment. Table 2
shows that all mean sensory scores for the curd samples
treated at 90 °C/10 min and 100 °C/5 min and stored in 0
and 5% NaCl concentrations were high at the time of
manufacture and before storage, but decreased significantly
during the storage period, while the taste score of cheese
samples treated at 115 °C/2 min did not significantly
change over the storage period as presented in Figure 2a,b.
The decline in the sensory values of cheese stored in 0
and 5% brine was attributed to the low NaCl concentra-
tions. This probably caused weakening of the cheese struc-
ture as a result of absorbing water from brine which
accelerated proteolysis and deterioration of the cheese
(Guerts et al. 1974; Prasad and Alvarez 1999). These
changes may have caused softening of the cheese texture
during storage. Similar findings for the effect of different
brine concentrations on the hardness of cheese during stor-
age were obtained for Gaziantep cheese (Kaya 2002) and
Iranian white cheese (Madadlou et al. 2007).
Figure 2a,b also shows the mean sensory scores for
appearance, colour, texture and taste attributes of brine
temperature/time-heat treatment combinations during stor-
age. Results indicated a significant increase in mean
sensory scores for samples stored in high strength brine
concentrations regardless of the temperature-time treatment.
Colour, however, showed a significant decrease with stor-
age time (Table 2). Temperature-time treatments combina-
tions of 100 °C/5 min and 115 °C/2 min for cheese stored
in 10% brine led to significantly reduced mean scores for
cheese taste during storage. Mean scores for taste were the
highest after the processing and comparable for all the
treatments. These differences in the taste scores could be
due to the variation in the salt content in the cheese pieces
before the equilibrium was reached. The salt–cheese equi-
librium usually is only reached after 1 week of storage in
brine due to the initial NaCl concentration gradient
between the cheese and surrounding brine (Prasad and
Alvarez 1999; Kaya 2002; Madadlou et al. 2007). After
storage, the salt inside the cheese pieces accumulates and
imparts a salty taste. The decrease in cheese taste score
may be due to the slightly bitter taste that can be obtained
due to the casein hydrolysis. This hydrolysis is promoted
by the relatively high temperatures applied (Al-Otaibi and
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(a) 9 9
3 Months o
115 C/2 min
6 Months
8 8
o
110 C/5 min
7 7
90oC/10 min

Acceptance 6 6

Acceptance
5 5

4 4

3 3

2 2

1 1

0 0
9 9
9 Months 12 Months
8 8

7 7

6 6

Acceptance
Acceptance

5 5

4 4

3 3

2 2

1 1

0 0
0 5 C 10 20 0 5 C 10 20
% Brine
% Brine
9 9
3 Months 6 Months
8 8

7 7

6 6

5 5
Color
Color

4 4

3 3

2 2

1 1

0 0
9 9
9 Months 12 Months
8 8

7 7

6 6

5 5
Color

Color

4 4

3 3

2 2

1 1

0 0
0 5 C 10 20 0 5 C 10 20
% Brine % Brine

Figure 2 (a) Appearance and colour sensory scores (nine point hedonic scale) for Nabulsi cheese treatments (90 °C/10min, 110 °C/5min and
115 °C/2min) after 3, 6, 9 and 12 months storage at room temperature. (b) Texture and taste sensory scores (nine point hedonic scale) for Nabulsi
cheese treatments (90 °C/10min, 110 °C/5min and 115 °C/2min) after 3, 6, 9 and 12 months storage at room temperature.

Wilbey 2006) and/or from the low salt concentration (Harju of salt concentration. This was evident with the decrease in
2001). However, consumer evaluation of cheese taste (fla- taste scores with the increase in brine concentration
vour and odour) seems to be associated with the perception (Table 2).

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(b) 9 9
3 Months 115oC/2 min 6 Months
o
8 110 C/5 min 8

7 7
90oC/10 min

6 6
Texture

Texture
5 5

4 4

3 3

2 2

1 1

0 0
9 9
9 Months 12 Months
8 8
7 7
6 6
Texture

5
Texture
5
4 4
3 3
2 2
1 1

0 0
0 5 C 10 20 0 5 C 10 20
% Brine % Brine
9 9
3 Months 6 Months
8 8

7 7

6 6

5 5
Taste

Taste

4 4

3 3

2 2

1 1

0 0
9 9
9 Months 12 Months
8 8

7 7

6 6

5 5
Taste

Taste

4 4

3 3

2 2

1 1

0 0
0 5 C 10 20 0 5 C 10 20
% Brine % Brine

Figure 2 (Continued)

434 © 2014 Society of Dairy Technology

Vol 67, No 3 August 2014
The mean sensory scores for the colour and taste of tradi-
tional white cheese stored in 20% brine decreased signifi-
cantly over the 12-month storage period, while texture and
appearance increased significantly. This was attributed to
the negative effect of the high brine concentration on cheese
firmness. Kaya (2002) attributed these changes to the weak-
ness in structure as a result of absorbing water from the
brine. The lower colour values also agrees with the findings
of Kaya (2002) indicating a decrease in L* values (i.e.,
whiteness of cheese) with an increase in brine concentration
from 0 to 5 and 10%. The authors attributed the changes in
colour to the increase in lipid oxidation during storage. Our
results indicated a less severe colour change with the
increase in brine concentration to 20%.
The mean sensory scores for the all characteristics, except
appearance, of white cheese samples treated at 90 °C/
10 min and stored in 20% brine decreased during the storage
period. However, appearance, texture and colour improved
for the samples that were treated at 100 °C/5 and 115 °C/
2 min by the end of storage period. This improvement could
be due to the effective preservation achieved at these tem-
perature-time treatments due to the inactivation of halophilic
micro-organisms as well as improving cheese texture.
CONCLUSION
The salty taste of cheese samples negatively affected flavour
and odour scores. Heat treatment of cheese curd in hermeti-
cally sealed glass jars containing 10% or more of brine
solutions at any of the three temperature -time combinations
used in this study is considered superior to traditional
method for the production of white brined Nabulsi cheese
with high microbial stability and good sensory characteris-
tics during storage for up to 1 year.
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