PRODUCTION OF LOW CALORIES AND SODIUM CAST FETA CHEESE

Abstract

The aim is to investigate the production of cast Feta cheese low in energy by partial or full replacement of milk fat and NaCl using, in order maltodextrin as a fat replacer and KCL as a salting substitute. Cast Feta cheese was made using skimmed milk powder which was arithmetically mixed with dried milk protein concentrate and reconstituted to form total solids of 21% and12% protein. In the base of full cream cheese, the fat was adjusted to 16% using butter oil (the control). For other treatments, butter oil was replaced with maltodextrin at the level of nil, 25, 50, 75 or 100%. All formulas were heat treated and homogenized then cooled to the suitable renneting temperature. Salted to 2.5% NaCl, whether alone or replaced with KCl at the level of nil, 25, 50 or 75%. Glucono delta lactone was added at the level of 2.5% then rennet solution was added at the rate of 2 ml /10 Kg pre-cheese, which was packaged into plastic containers and incubated at 40o C for the complete coagulation. All cheese containers were cold stored at 5o C for 3 months. The proportional fat replacement with maltodextrin led to gradual reduction in the dry matter (DM) and ash contents of resultant cheese. The repining indices; titratable acidity, water soluble nitrogen (WSN) on total nitrogen (TN) and non-protein nitrogen / TN contents were increased as the fat replacement increased. Hardness, chewiness and gumminess of cheese increased while cohesiveness decreased. Total bacterial count (TBC) increased while, yeasts and molds (Y&M) count decreased. All judging scores of cheese sensory attributes, The substitution of NaCl with KCl in cheese salting heightened the DM and protein contents. Cheese hardness was weakened while gumminess was strengthened while, decreased in TBC and Y&M count. Nevertheless, scores of sensory properties were declined by NaCl substitution by more than 50%. During cheese cold storage period (CSP) TA, WSNTN and NPNTN contents as well as Y&M count were increased while pH value lowered. All texture parameters and organoleptic attributes, scores of cheeses decreased by prolonging the CSP but still keeping their acceptable quality until the end of experimental CSP.