Journal article
Microstructure of milk gel and cheese curd observed using cryo scanning electron microscopy and confocal microscopy
L Ong, RR Dagastine, SE Kentish, SL Gras
Lwt | ELSEVIER | Published : 2011
Open access
Abstract
Cryo scanning electron microscopy (cryo SEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) were used to visualise changes in the microstructure of milk, rennet-induced gel and curd during the manufacture of Cheddar cheese. Our results show that cryo preservation did not alter the microstructure of the sample when it was fixed by rapid freezing in slush liquid nitrogen due to the formation of amorphous ice. Artefacts such as the formation of ice crystals could be observed in samples when immersed directly into liquid nitrogen (-196 °C) at atmospheric pressure. These ice crystals changed the shape of sample pores increasing their size to >20 μm. The etching time, thickness of gold coating, acc..
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Funding Acknowledgements
This work was funded by Dairy Innovation Australia Limited. The authors would like to thank the Bio21 Molecular Science & Biotechnology Institute and the Particulate Fluids Processing Centre, a Special Research Centre of the Australian Research Council at The University of Melbourne, for access to equipment. We would also like to thank Murray Goulburn, Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Factory, National Foods and Burra Foods for their involvement. We appreciate the technical input from Mr Roger Curtain (Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne) and his help operating the scanning electron microscope in cryo mode.