Production of microencapsulated enzyme-modified cheese (EMC) powder: Impact of wall material combinations, their concentrations, and homogenisation pressures

Abstract

Enzyme-modified cheese (EMC) is a concentrated cheese flavour, and microencapsulation can improve its physical properties while preserving flavour. This study performed microencapsulation of EMC in two stages: emulsification and spray drying. Different combinations of proteins (sodium caseinate, whey protein concentrate) and carbohydrates (lactose, maltodextrin, oxidised starch) at varying homogenisation pressures (500, 1000, 2000 bar) were used to determine the most appropriate wall material combination, and emulsions with different concentrations of wall materials (23, 36.5, 50%) spray-dried to select the best microencapsulation formulation. Emulsion properties and the physical, chemical, and sensorial characteristics of the powders were evaluated. Microencapsulation enhanced the physical properties of powders, increased the drying yield, reduced the loss of free fatty acids, and increased the concentration of ester compounds. The best powder was produced using whey protein concentrate/lactose at a concentration of 50% of the total dry matter in the emulsion, with a homogenisation pressure of 500 bar.