Meltability - Cheese Melting Temperatures

[CLWest]

Hey Gang,

Does anyone have an idea if there is a reliable reference to the melting point of various cheeses?  My son is thinking about some sort of science fair experiment (to be determined) that has to do with food.  Thought I would ask here as well!

Thanks

Chris

[linuxboy]

Do you mean temperature of the melting point? That differs among cheeses even in the same family. Any table would just demonstrate melting point of the specific cheeses in the sample, and not be authoritative for the style... though an OK approximation. Temp is not the biggest determinant of meltability, though -- pH and cheese history are (calcium phosphate levels, changes, and proteolytic action). Same with stretchability.

[SueVT]

that actually could be a very interesting science fair project. 
The melting point is influenced by a variety of factors, which he could research.  The meltability (maybe there is a word for this) of cheese varies according to factors, including calcium...
Interesting stuff.  To have a project, he would have to put forward a hypothesis I suppose....

[iwantthegold]

Even to have a temperature of melting point of a number of cheeses needs a bit more definition for a project, although In understand what you are going for here.  There is a discussion of the state changing to a semi-viscous liquid somewhere in there (where exactly is the cheese "melted").  And the "meltability" that Sue talked about, seems a bit too in depth to really be able to grasp as most of it would be conjecture (this would also be difficult to do accurately with out a melt-point device).

Sorry for the over-analysis, just my food-science major coming forward

He could definitely do research on the microorganisms that are used for cheese and how they produce the characteristics of the cheese and what exactly rennet does.  Its not quite as hands-on but you could always try a bunch of cheese and "analyze" them.

hopefully this helps

[CLWest]

Well,

He drug the experiment out until this eve.  Project write up due tuesday and I leave in the am for the East Coast.

Cheeses used:  Brie, cheddar, swiss, parmesian reggiano and mozza.  Melting is in a water bath.

brie melted first at 125 F
Mozza at 135F
Cheddar 144
At 180F the swiss and the parm have not melted though both have oil separation.

He was testing melt point against the density of cheese (I hated to eat the trimmngs.)

More to come later.  Lets hope next year we can get a jump on the science fair and get some cheeses made early and test them!