Production of Functional Spreadable Processed Cheese Supplemented with Sweet Red Pepper Paste

Abstract

Sweet red pepper is a natural source of phenol compounds and ascorbic acid that contributes to its high antioxidant potential. It could be used as a material to enrich different food systems such as soft and processed cheeses. The current study evaluates the effect of supplementation with 10% and 20% of sweet red pepper paste (SRPP) on the physicochemical, textural and sensory traits of spreadable processed cheese during storage at 7±1°C for three months. The addition of SRPP increased the total solids, fiber, protein, ash, fat, pH, potassium, and total phenolic contents of spreadable processed cheese, as compared with the control. Besides, the firmness, chewiness, and springiness of processed cheese supplemented with SRPP were lower than the control. Sensory evaluation scores revealed that the panelists accepted processed cheeses containing SRPP with slight differences scores between all treatments and control. The addition of SRPP in preparation of spreadable processed cheese could be recommended to produce an acceptable product with high nutritional and health properties containing antioxidants and dietary fiber.