"Sqwertz" <> More precisely, the use of emulsifying salts such as disodium
> phosphate and trisodium citrate in process cheese manufacture aids in
> improving the emulsification proper-ties of caseins by displacing the
> calcium phosphate complexes in the insoluble calcium€“paracaseinate
> phosphate network present in natural cheese. This displacement of the
> calcium phosphate complex disrupts the major molecular force that
> cross-links the various monomers of casein in the network. This
> disruption of the calcium phosphate complex in conjunction with
> heating and mixing leads to hydration and partial dispersion of the
> calcium€“paracaseinate phosphate network. In addition to being
> hydrated, the partially dispersed calcium€“paracaseinate complex
> interacts with fat via hydrophobic interactions. After manufacture and
> during the cooling stage, the partially dispersed caseinate matrix
> forms €œflocs€�and the flocs subsequently interact to form a uni-form,
> closely knit gel network. This phenomenon gives rise to fat emulsified
> by a uniform closely knit protein gel network. Therefore, process
> cheese structure essentially consists of a fat phase evenly dispersed
> (in the form of fat globules, approximately <1 to about 5µm in
> diameter) in a partially dispersed casein gel network.
>
> At least that's been my experience.
>
> <snork>
Oh my goodness, thank you. We're on the weather things in Red Alert with
all hell popping loose and I needed a light moment. That was good. Polly