Authors
Title
Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate the rheological properties of reduced-fat processed cheese analogues. Fat in the cheese analogues was partially replaced with acid casein in order to obtain a high protein product designed primarily for people wanting to lose their weight, as well as for physically active people. The texture of cheese analogues was analysed using a TA-XT2i Texture Analyser. To analyse the hardness of processed cheese analogues, there was applied a 10 mm dia cylindrical sampler (penetration rate: 1 mm/s; constant temperature of 21 ºC). The Textural Profile Analysis (TPA) to analyse springiness and chewiness of processed cheese analogues was carried out using a 15 mm cylindrical sampler (penetration rate: 1 mm/s; constant temperature of 21 ºC). The analysis of viscoelastic properties of the processed cheese analogues was performed using a plate – plate arrangement system at a temperature varying from 30 to 80 ºC, and a RS 300 oscillatory rheometer. Changes in the storage modulus (G’) were determined. In the case of the cheese analogues studied, along with the increase in the acid casein concentration ranging from 12 to 20 % and the decrease in the fat content from 30 to 10 %, the hardness and chewiness of the cheese analogues increased. However, where the acid casein (AC)) in an amount of 22% and the anhydrous milk fat (AMF) in an amount of 5 % were applied, the hardness and chewiness of the processed cheese analogues significantly decreased to a level that could be compared with that of a full-fat sample (12 % of AC + 30 % of AMF). All the tested processed cheese analogues were characterized by a high springiness value. With the increasing content of casein and the decreasing fat content in the product, the value of storage modulus (G’) increased while the cheese analogues studied melted. Changes in the ratios of casein and anhydrous milk fat affected the texture and rheological properties of the processed cheese analogues.
Keywords
processed cheese analogues, acid casein, anhydrous milk fat, rheology, meltability