Characterization of Calcium Lactate Crystals on Cheddar Cheese by Image Analysis

Digital images of one surface of a retail sample of smoked Cheddar cheese that was stored for 30 wk at 4°C. Calcium lactate crystals appear as white regions against the gray cheese surface; A) wk 0; B) wk 12; C) wk 21; D) wk 30.

Changes in the total area occupied by calcium lactate crystals, expressed as a percentage of total cheese surface area, on one surface of a retail sample of smoked Cheddar cheese that was stored for 30 wk at 4°C.

Number of discrete crystal regions expressed per unit of cheese surface area (cm²) on one surface of a retail sample of smoked Cheddar cheese that was stored for 30 wk at 4°C.

Changes in the area (mm²) of 5 discrete crystal regions (DCR) on one surface of a retail sample of smoked Cheddar cheese that was stored for 30 wk at 4°C; ●=DCR₁; ▵=DCR₂; ○=DCR₃; ■=DCR₄; ♦=DCR₅; DCR areas followed linear growth curves.