Abstract
The use of low-heat skim milk powder (SMP) in natural cheese production offers significant industrial advantages. However, SMP takes a long time to undergo rennet-induced gelation and forms a soft gel, which makes it difficult to use in cheese production. In this study, we investigated whether dry-heat treatment of low-heat SMP contributes to improving rennet-induced gel properties. We found that dry-heat treatment (65 °C; relative humidity, 40%; 2–6 h) accelerated rennet coagulation time (RCT), increased gel strength, and improved the water-holding capacity of the gel. Dry-heat treatment resulted in lactosylation, an increase in hydrophobicity, and a decrease in the zeta potential of casein micelles. These changes possibly contributed to the improvement in rennet-induced gelation. Additionally, the dry-heat treatment likely affected the surface properties of casein micelles by altering their secondary structure. This study offers valuable insights into SMP applications, particularly in the production of natural cheese in the dairy industry.
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