Dairy Foods: Dairy Foods/Cheese

The objective of this research was to study the relationship between properties of base and process cheese food. Full fat Cheddar cheese was made with exopolysaccharides (EPS)-producing or nonproducing cultures. Process cheese food was made from 2 day or 1 month old EPS-positive and negative base Cheddar cheese. The EPS-positive base Cheddar cheese contained 2% higher moisture and 1.5% lower fat than the EPS-negative one. Process cheese food contained about 44% moisture, 23% fat, 2% salt, and 21% protein. There were no differences (P >0.05) in composition of process cheese made from EPS-positive and negative base Cheddar cheese. Texture profile analysis, meltability, and viscoelastic properties were evaluated in both base and process cheeses. The 2 day and 1 month old EPS-positive base Cheddar cheeses were softer, and less gummy and chewy (P <0.05) than the corresponding EPS-negative cheeses. No differences (P >0.05) were observed in the texture profile analysis of process cheese food made from 2 day old EPS-negative and positive Cheddar cheeses. However, process cheese food made from 1 month old EPS-negative Cheddar was harder, and more gummy and chewy (P <0.05) than that made from the 1 month old EPS-positive base Cheddar cheese. This is due to less extensive proteolysis in the former base cheese. Although lower viscoelastic moduli were seen in the 2 day old EPS-positive than in the EPS-negative base Cheddar cheese, no differences (P >0.05) were found in process cheese food made from these base cheeses. Interestingly, whereas the viscoelastic moduli in the base cheese were not affected by age (2 day or 1 month), they were higher (P <0.05) in process cheese food made from base cheese aged for 1 month. Also, aging of base cheese for 1 month improved softening and melting properties. However, such improvements were not seen in the corresponding process cheese food. Modifications in the base cheese texture do not necessarily reflect on process cheese characteristics. Proteolysis of base cheese is a major factor affecting process cheese physical properties.