Effects of Manchego-type cheese-making process on contents of mineral elements

Variations in mineral content were determined throughout the process of making cheese, taking samples of natural, pasteurised milk, with additions of rennet, curd, whey, pressed curd, pressing whey and cheese. The mean contents in cheese were 7·59mg/g for calcium, 0·309mg/g for magnesium, 6·46mg/g for sodium. 1·38mg/g for potassium and 0·364μg/g for manganese on a fresh weight basis. The contribution of the consumption of this type of product to the daily intake estimates in a Spanish diet are 23·6mg/day for calcium, 1·Omg/day for magnesium, 20·1 mg/day for sodium, 4·3mg/day for potassium and 1·1 μg/day for manganese. By a variance analysis the existence of statistically significant dayferences (P<0·001) was confirmed in the products from the cheese-making for the five minerals, expressed both by fresh weight and dry weight. Certain differences were observed in the groups formed by using a Scheffe homogeneity test (P<0·05) depending on whether the mineral content was expressed on a fresh weight or a dry weight basis. Slight rises in the contents of the five minerals investigated on a dry weight basis were verified mainly due to the retention of the minerals by the curd and, secondly, by possible contamination occurring during the process