Abstract
In the following study, three different dairy by-products, previously concentrated by ultrafiltration (UF), were used as ingredients in the production of reduced-fat (RF) washed curd cheeses in order to improve their characteristics. Conventional full-fat (FF) cheeses (45% fat, dry basis (db)) and RF cheeses (20–30% fat, db) were compared to RF cheeses produced with the incorporation of 5% concentrated whey (RF + CW), buttermilk (RF + CB) or sheep second cheese whey (RF + CS). Protein-to-fat ratios were lower than 1 in the FF cheeses, while RF cheeses ranged from 1.8 to 2.8. The tested by-products performed differently when added to the milk used for cheese production. The FF cheese showed a more pronounced yellow colour after 60 and 90 days of ripening, indicating that fat plays an important role regarding this parameter. As far as the texture parameters are concerned, after 60 days of ripening, RF cheeses with buttermilk presented similar results to FF cheeses for hardness (5.0–7.5 N) and chewiness (ca. 400). These were lower than the ones recorded for RF cheeses with added UF concentrated whey (RF + CW) and second cheese whey (RF + CS), which presented lower adhesiveness values. RF cheeses with 5% incorporation of buttermilk concentrated by UF presented the best results concerning both texture and sensory evaluation.
Highlights
The firm texture observed in reduced-fat (RF) and low-fat (LF) cheeses is one of the major problems resulting from fat reduction [1]
Known as Sorelho, is the by-product resulting from the manufacture of Requeijão, the Portuguese whey cheese, which is produced by thermal aggregation of whey proteins
Significant differences were observed in the protein, fat and ash contents of those products
Summary
The firm texture observed in reduced-fat (RF) and low-fat (LF) cheeses is one of the major problems resulting from fat reduction [1]. Cheese structure can be described as a continuous protein network interrupted by dispersed fat globules, which originate weak points in the protein network. In RF/LF cheeses the para-casein network becomes denser, originating the development of a firm and rubbery texture that does not break down during mastication [2,3]. Fat plays an important role in the development of cheese flavour and appearance. The loss of flavour in RF/LF cheeses results from the lack of precursors from the fat, the lack of fat as a solvent for flavouring compounds, or the differences in the physical structure of RF/LF cheeses that inhibit certain enzymatic reactions which are essential for the formation of flavouring compounds [4]. The observed differences between FF and RF Cheddar cheeses are not solely owed to differences in the cheese matrix and flavour release, and to differences in ripening biochemistry, which lead to an imbalance of many flavour-contributing compounds [5]
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