Evaluating the efficiency of Lactiplantibacillus pentosus as a biocoagulant in soy cheese production: Effects on...

The increasing demand for plant-based foods has driven interest in improving soy cheese quality through alternative coagulation strategies. This study compared the effects of fermentation with Lactiplantibacillus pentosus and glucono-δ-lactone (GDL) coagulation on the yield, protein, dry matter, microstructure, rheological behavior, and textural properties of soy cheese. Fermented soy cheese (FSC) exhibited a significantly higher yield (15.06 %) than GDL-coagulated soy cheese (GSC; 12.82 %, p < 0.05), primarily due to improved water retention rather than changes in dry matter content. Protein content showed only minor variations between treatments during gel formation and refrigerated storage, while SDS-PAGE analysis indicated limited protein hydrolysis. Microstructural analysis revealed a more homogeneous, honeycomb-like network in FSC, whereas GSC displayed coarser structures with larger pores. Power-law modeling indicated lower elastic and viscous consistency indices (K' and K″) in FSC on day one (p < 0.05), reflecting a softer and more flowable gel; however, no significant differences were observed after 14 days of storage. Texture profile analysis showed no significant difference in hardness between FSC (2586.32 ± 175.08) and GSC (2809.92 ± 116.28) on day one, whereas GSC exhibited a pronounced increase in hardness after 14 days (10019.75 ± 764.37). FSC displayed higher cohesiveness on the first day, while gumminess and chewiness were significantly higher in GSC after cold storage. Overall, fermentation with L. pentosus enhanced the yield of soy cheese and produced a softer, more uniform gel under the studied conditions, demonstrating its potential as a functional biocoagulant in soy cheese production.