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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania » Eastern Regional Research Center » Dairy and Functional Foods Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #290964
Title: Reducing fat levels in cheddar-like goat cheese: impact on proteolysis and rheological properties over 6 months of refrigerated storage

Author
item Van Hekken, Diane
item PARK, Y - Fort Valley State University
item Tunick, Michael

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/30/2013
Publication Date: 7/10/2013
Citation: Van Hekken, D.L., Park, Y.W., Tunick, M.H. 2013. Reducing fat levels in cheddar-like goat cheese: impact on proteolysis and rheological properties over 6 months of refrigerated storage (abstract). Journal of Dairy Science 2013. 96(1):298.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Development of low-fat goat cheeses that appeal to health conscious consumers requires information on how the reduction of fat affects the quality traits of the cheese, such as its proteolysis and rheology. Goat milk samples containing 3.6, 2.0, 1.0, and <0.5% fat were processed into full-fat (FF), reduced-fat (RF), low-fat (LF), and non-fat (NF) high-moisture Cheddar-like cheeses, respectively, vacuum sealed in pouches, and stored at 4 deg C. Compositions of the cheeses were determined after 1 mo of storage, protein profiles were compared between 1 and 6 mo of storage, and rheological properties were measured after 1, 3, and 6 mo of storage. The FF, RF, LF, and NF cheeses contained 26.3, 19.0, 9.65, and 1.50% fat; 48.7, 50.0, 51.5, and 55.2% moisture; and 21.0, 24.9, 35.9, 38.5% protein, respectively. The FF, RF, and LF cheeses had similar proteolysis with a 40% decrease of intact caseins (alpha s and beta-CN) while the intact caseins in the NF cheese decreased by 14%. The NF cheese, with its dense protein matrix had the highest values for hardness, chewiness, cohesiveness, fracture stress, elastic modulus, and viscous modulus. Although the LF cheese was harder, chewier, more cohesive, and fractured at higher stress than the FF and RF cheeses, it softened somewhat with age while the NF cheese remained a hard mass. The FF and RF cheeses had similar rheological properties and had the softest and most flexible textures. It was concluded that fat can be reduced to 19% in a Cheddar-like goat cheese with minimal impact on rheology which will help in developing reduced-fat goat cheese products