Fox, P. F. (2012-12-06). Cheese: Chemistry, Physics and Microbiology: Volume 2 Major Cheese Groups. Springer. ISBN 978-1-4615-2648-3. Processed cheese spreads, like Easy Cheese, have a moisture content that ranges from 44 to 60%, while its milk fat content must be greater than 20%. [4] Milk proteins are needed for processed cheese spread production, and contains two main types: casein, which accounts for at least 80%, and whey protein, which can further be classified into α-lactalbumin and β-lactoglobulin. The manufacturing of processed cheese spreads uses natural cheese with a composition that ranges from 60 to 75% intact casein. [5] Water [ edit ] Chatziantoniou, S. E., Thomareis, A. S., & Kontominas, M. G. (2015, July 28). Effect of chemical composition on physico‑chemical, rheological and sensory properties of spreadable processed whey cheese. Eur Food Res Technol, (241), 737–748. doi: 10.1007/s00217-015-2499-6 a b Trivedi, D., Bennett, R. J., Hemar, Y., Reid, D. C., Lee, S. K., & Illingworth, D. (2008, August 29). Effect of different starches on rheological and microstructural properties of (I) model processed cheese. International Journal of Food Science and Technology, (43), 2191–2196. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2621.2008.01851.x a b c d Ma, J., Lin, Y., Chen, X., Zhao, B., & Zhang, J. (2013, December 1). Flow behavior, thixotropy and dynamical viscoelasticity of sodium alginate aqueous solutions. Food Hydrocolloids, 38, 119–128. Retrieved December 3, 2016, from

Sodium alginate is the one of the main ingredients that is responsible for Easy Cheese's pseudoplastic characteristics. More specifically, it contributes to the integrity of the gel-like network formed by the casein and salts. The newly formed network is made possible through cation binding, which converts the hydrophilic sodium alginate into hydrophobic calcium alginate. Guluronic acid residues that are linked together demonstrate a high affinity for calcium ions. Sodium alginate works in conjunction with the destabilization of the casein micelle where calcium ions can interact with guluronic chains. [11] Due to a mixture of these interactions, a gel-like structure is formed rather than a true gel structure. About 0.05–0.5% weight by volume of sodium alginate at a 5.4–5.7 range must be added to the cheese mixture to exhibit these properties during extrusion. [11] Can design [ edit ] Whey products in processed cheese spreads increases the viscosity of the overall product due to the “intermolecular interactions between adjacent protein molecules with the formation of weak transient networks” formed from the conglomerate cheese mass. [10] The protein concentration within the cheese matrix is directly proportional to the viscosity of the solution due to their interactions with hydrated protein molecules. Therefore, the continuous phase of the oil-in-water emulsion has a greater contribution to the viscosity of the cheese product over than the discontinuous phase. [7] Flow properties [ edit ] The can is not actually an aerosol spray, since it does not combine the cheese with a propellant to create a fine mist upon being sprayed. Rather, the can contains a piston and a barrier plastic cap which squeezes the cheese through the nozzle in a solid column when the nozzle is pressed and the propellant expands in volume. The propellant does not mix with the cheese. Normal aerosol cans are charged with all of their contents through the single opening at the top, but spray cheese cans are separately charged with the product through the top and propellant through the bottom. This explains why the can has a small rubber plug on its base. The can design also ensures that the cheese can be dispensed with the can upright or inverted. Easy Cheese exhibits pseudoplastic behaviors during extrusion of the product, which can be represented using the Herschel-Bulkley Model:Solowiej, B. (2007). Effect of pH on rheological properties and meltability of processed cheese analogs with whey products. Polish Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences, 57(3), 125–128. Retrieved December 3, 2016, from http://agro.icm.edu.pl/agro/element/bwmeta1.element.agro-article-af1bc349-70cc-46d6-8611-126977a3a103 The key role of emulsifying agents in Easy Cheese is to create a uniform cheese spread by altering the structure of casein micelles in the cheese. Casein micelles have a diameter ranging from 15 to 20 nanometers and are composed of flexible aggregates alpha-, beta-, and kappa-casein. The alpha- and beta-casein are kept in place by “colloidal calcium phosphate-mediated cross links” covered with a kappa-casein outer layer. [4] The outer layer on the casein's surface has glycosylated hydrophilic tails that are negatively charged and is stable in solution due to Van der Waals interactions. All of the negative charges causes the casein micelles to initially repel each other and provides stability to the matrix by protecting the alpha- and beta-caseins. [9] When the group of casein micelles are exposed to heat and shearing forces, kappa-casein is cleaved causing the displacement of the glycosylated hydrophilic tails. [4] The casein micelle becomes destabilized as alpha and beta-casein are now exposed to the environment. Emulsifying agents such as sodium phosphate play an important role in stabilizing the newly destabilized structure. The hydrophilic portion of sodium phosphate removes calcium from the calcium paracaseinate from ion exchange reactions. [9] This action causes “hydration and partial dispersion of the calcium-paracaseinate phosphate network." [4] The hydration process increases the solubility of the protein. Sodium phosphate removes calcium from the Ca-paracaseinate cheese complex due to ion exchange interactions, where positive calcium ions bind to the negative phosphate groups. Phosphate and citrate anions can then bind to the protein structure, converting calcium-paracaseinate converts to water-soluble sodium-paracaseinate. [9] Upon cooling, the partially dispersed matrix forms a gel-like network that gives rise to the textural properties of the final product. Easy Cheese contains milk, water, whey protein concentrate, canola oil, milk protein concentrate, sodium citrate, sodium phosphate, calcium phosphate, lactic acid, sorbic acid, sodium alginate, apocarotenal, annatto, cheese culture, and enzymes. [3] Physical-chemical properties [ edit ] Molecular composition [ edit ] Easy Cheese on a pretzel a b Lee, S. K., Anema, S., & Klostermeyer, H. (2004, February 18). The influence of moisture content on the rheological properties of processed cheese spreads. International Journal of Food Science and Technology, (39), 763–771. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2621.2004.00842.x

a b c Caric, M., Gantar, M., & Kalab, M. (1985, October 6). Effects of Emulsifying Agents on the Microstructure and Other Characteristics of Process Cheese – A Review. Food Microstructure, 4(2), 13th ser., 297–312. Retrieved November 28, 2016, from http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1105&context=foodmicrostructure