Consumer perceptions of anticake agents on shredded Cheddar cheese

Area of Science:

• Food Science and Technology
• Sensory Science
• Consumer Product Development

Background:

• Prepackaged natural cheese shreds are a popular consumer product requiring anticake agents for improved shelf life and usability.
• Understanding consumer perception of these anticake agents is crucial for product development and market success.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate consumer perception of three different anticake agents applied at varying concentrations to Cheddar cheese shreds.
• To determine the optimal application rate of anticake agents to minimize negative impacts on sensory attributes.

Main Methods:

• Three common anticake agents (80% potato starch/20% cellulose blend, 100% potato starch, potato starch/corn starch/calcium sulfate blend) were applied to Cheddar cheese shreds at 1-5% (wt/wt).
• Sensory properties were evaluated by a trained panel (n=8).
• Three consumer acceptance tests assessed visual liking of cold shreds (n=110), overall and sensory liking of melted shreds (n=100), and home usage (n=49).

Main Results:

• Visual appearance was the most affected attribute by anticake agents and application rates.
• Higher application rates (>2-3% wt/wt) of cellulose-containing blends decreased consumer liking for appearance and color.
• Melted shred liking (overall, flavor, texture) was negatively impacted at >3% (wt/wt) application, irrespective of the agent.

Conclusions:

• Anticake agents can be applied to Cheddar cheese shreds at up to 3% (wt/wt) with minimal negative effects on overall consumer perception.
• 100% potato starch showed minimal visual impact, while blends containing cellulose or calcium sulfate were more noticeable at higher concentrations.
• Product developers should consider anticake agent type and concentration to balance functionality with consumer acceptance.