Effect of potassium-based emulsifying salts on sensory, textural, and functional attributes of low-sodium processed Mozzarella cheese

Abstract

Dietary sodium content is considered as a major contributor to hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. Mozzarella cheese contains high amount of sodium, and addition of emulsifying salts (ESs) to the manufacture of processed cheese further adds to the overall sodium content. The present investigation envisaged the manufacture of low-sodium processed Mozzarella cheese by partial replacement of sodium chloride with potassium chloride (KCl) and also by using potassium-based emulsifying salts, i.e., potassium citrate and di-potassium phosphate, in place of sodium-containing salts. Desired level of potassium chloride and potassium-based emulsifying salt was optimized using response surface methodology (RSM). Sensory attributes, instrumental hardness, meltability, and stretchability were kept as responses of the design. The study returned 30.96% of KCl and 2% of emulsifying salt to be optimum, and at these levels, the product had maximum sensory scores. Hardness, meltability, and stretchability of the product were reported to be 14.355 N, 21.68 cm and 15.07 cm, respectively. Further, the study was validated by manufacturing the product using optimized levels of ESs and KCl and comparing the actual responses with the responses predicted by RSM. No significant difference (p > 0.05) between actual and predicted values validated the results of RSM. Full-sodium and low-sodium cheeses had 905 mg/100 g and 260 mg/100 g sodium, respectively. Thus, the study resulted in 71.27% reduction in overall sodium content of processed Mozzarella cheese.