Process cheese (PC) production requires both heat and mixing to achieve an emulsion. Few benchtop methods available can provide enough sample for functional testing. Equipment that can be used include the HotMixPro, Rapid Visco Analyzer, Thermomix, Farinograph, or doughLAB. Some studies have used a Thermomix to produce PC, but specific details such as batch size, mixing speed, and heating profile were not explicitly defined. The objective of this study was to develop a benchtop production method for PC spread specifically for analysis of functional properties. Cheddar cheese of different ages (1 mo and 8 mo) was mixed with butter, instant nonfat dry milk, anhydrous disodium phosphate, cheese salt, and water and processed using varying mixing speeds (3 and 4, approximately 500 and 1100 rpm) and hold times (1 min and 3 min after reaching 80°C final temperature). Formulas (48% moisture and 750 g) were designed to allow for creation of different degrees of emulsification to test the benchtop method. PC spreads were analyzed using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) for volume-weighted fat droplet diameter. PC sauces (50 g cheese mixed with 10 g water) were analyzed using a micro-visco amylograph (MVAG) for viscosity (cP) at 50°C for 2 min. Two replicates of each sample were analyzed. One-way ANOVA was used to determine significance using R software. NMR analysis (Table 1) showed differences (P < 0.05) between cheese age and mixing speed, but not hold time. MVAG analysis (Table 1) of cheese sauces showed differences (P < 0.05) between age and hold time, but not mixing speed. These findings show that a benchtop Thermomix method can be used for small-batch production of PC to lead to different degrees of emulsification and viscosities. Table 1 (Abstr. M112). NMR and MVAG results

Sample			Average fat droplet diameter (μm)	Averageviscosity (cP)
Age (mo)	Mixing speed	Hold time (min)
1	3	1	2.59	770.5
1	3	3	2.58	1031.1
1	4	1	2.18	670.5
1	4	3	1.73	891.5
8	3	1	3.26	378.0
8	3	3	3.16	422.3
8	4	1	2.49	345.6
8	4	3	2.36	398.0