Chapter 18 - Quark cheese: characteristics, preparation, and health effects as a functional food

Abstract

Quark cheese has generally been considered a healthy food. However, recent studies indicate that it may have neutral or adverse effects on health. As with other fresh cheeses, the first step in the creation of quark cheese is pasteurization of the milk. Quark is a fresh cheese with a smooth texture and a mild, slightly sour flavor. Fresh cheeses are made to be consumed without aging of the milk, so the milk used for quark cheese must be pasteurized to ensure the safety of the consumer. Once the milk has been prepared, a starter culture is added to generate lactic acid from lactose. Generally, acidification occurs below pH 4.6, which causes precipitation of the casein proteins. A very small amount of rennet is included with the cheese-milk; its function is to make the curd firmer. Unlike cottage cheese, the quark coagulum is not cut or cooked. The curd is broken by agitation, and whey is removed by muslin-cloth drainage or by a centrifugation method in a mechanical curd concentrator. The resulting texture of the quark cheese is very smooth, similar to that of cottage cheese, which consists of distinct curds. Quark cheese is incorporated into different food products to add sensory appeal, mild flavor, and nutritional value. Quark cheese can be prepared from skim milk, partially skim milk, or whole milk. When the quark cheese is enriched with fat, the fat imparts flavor and smoothness to the cheese, but it may also have adverse effects on the consumer’s health. There is a need to add some antioxidants such as ginseng to prevent fatty acid peroxidation. Since the curd is not washed (as in cottage cheese manufacture), quark cheese has a relatively high lactose content. Quark is a fresh cheese with a smooth texture and a mild, slightly sour flavor and should be healthy with added antioxidants.