Unidirectional salt transfer and moisture loss were investigated in experimental Emmentaler cheese cuboids after the following brining treatments: concentration (16 and 23 % w/w), temperature (11 and 16 ◦C), and time (24 and 72 h) over a ripening period of 0.5–3 months. Cheese manufacture and ripening conditions followed specifications for Emmentaler AOP cheeses. The results showed that the influence of 72 h brining time had a significant effect (P = 0.017) on salt uptake during the brining of experimental Emmentaler cheese. The temperature and concentration of the brine had no significant influence. By contrast, the higher temperature of 16 ◦C inhibited salt uptake and water loss, whereas the lower brine concentration of 16 % (w/w) did not reduce salt uptake but reduced water loss when brined equally at 11 ◦C for 72 h. These latter conditions are proposed to improve salt uptake and minimise moisture loss in Emmentaler AOP hard cheeses. The experimental data were modelled by Fick’s second law over all ripening times, resulting in an overall diffusion coefficient of 2.21 10− 10 m2 s− 1.