Cream cheese products: A review

Phadungath, C. Cream cheese products: A review Songklanakarin J. Sci. Technol., 2005, 27(1) : 191-199 Cream cheese is a soft fresh acid-coagulated cheese product, which is acidified by mesophilic lactic acid starter culture, i.e. Lactococcus and Leuconostoc. Cream cheese products are categorized into two main types based on the different fat content in the initial mix and the final composition. These are double-cream cheese with at least 9-11% fat content in the initial mix, and single-cream cheese with 4.5-5% fat content in initial mix. Cream cheese was first made by using the cooked-curd method, which was developed in the early twenties, and the cold-pack and hot-pack methods were developed, and are still used at present. The products with high quality should have a uniform white to light cream color with a lightly lactic acid and cultured diacetyl flavor and aroma. The texture of the products should be smooth without lumps, grittiness, or any indication of cracking and wheying off, and with the ability to spread at room temperature.