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Rheological properties and microstructure of Cheddar cheese made with different fat contents
N R Rogers1, D J McMahon, C R Daubert
1Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh 27695, USA.
Journal of Dairy Science
|September 22, 2010
Summary
Reducing fat in Cheddar cheese impacts its texture, making it firmer and affecting breakdown during chewing. This study explored how fat content influences cheese structure and mechanical properties over aging.
Area of Science:
- Food Science
- Dairy Science
- Material Science
Background:
- Reduced- and low-fat cheeses are desirable for health but often exhibit inferior quality.
- Fat reduction in cheese typically leads to a firm texture that hinders proper breakdown during mastication.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of varying fat content on Cheddar cheese structure.
- To analyze how fat affects cheese microstructure and mechanical properties throughout 24 weeks of aging.
Main Methods:
- Cheddar cheeses with fat content ranging from 3% to 33% (wt/wt) were produced with a 1.5:1 moisture to protein ratio.
- Confocal scanning laser microscopy and quantitative image analysis were used to examine cheese microstructure.
- Rheological analysis assessed changes in mechanical properties, specifically rigidity (storage modulus).
Main Results:
- Increased fat content led to larger and more nonspherical fat globules, with no changes observed during aging.
- Cheese rigidity increased with fat content at 10°C but not at 25°C.
- Rigidity decreased with storage, attributed to changes in the protein gel network rather than the fat phase.
Conclusions:
- The diminished textural quality of low-fat Cheddar cheese is linked to altered breakdown patterns during chewing.
- Fat content significantly influences cheese microstructure and mechanical properties, particularly at lower temperatures.
- Aging primarily affects the protein gel network, impacting overall cheese rigidity.
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