Imitation cheese (50% moisture) was manufactured in a Farinograph using different ratios of disodium orthophosphate (DSP) and trisodium citrate (TSC) as chelating or emulsifying salts (ES). The ES:casein ratio was kept constant at 0.2549 mol ES/kg casein. The effects of DSP:TSC ratio on cheese manufacture and post-manufacture functional properties were investigated. Hardness, assessed by texture profile analysis, heat-induced flowability and dynamic rheology were studied. Microstructural analyses were performed using light and cryo-scanning electron microscopy. Increasing the DSP:TSC ratio from 0:1 to 1:0 caused a decrease in processing times (from similar to 18 to 12 min) and lowering of the final mixing torque values (from similar to 180 to 20 F.U.) and, post-manufacture led to a decrease in cheese hardness (from similar to 360 to 165 N) and G ' values at 25 degrees C (from similar to 81 to 38 kPa) and to increased cheese fat globule size (from similar to 8 to 32 The results suggest that changing the ratio of DSP:TSC may be used to alter cheese properties, but both ES are needed for optimum functionality. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.