Low- and reduced-fat milled curd, direct-salted Gouda cheese: Comparison of lactose standardization of cheesemilk and whey dilution techniques

摘要

Control of acidity is critical for cheese quality, ashigh acidity can be associated with poor flavor andtextural attributes. We investigated an alternativemethod to control cheese acidity, specifically in low-fat(LF) and reduced-fat (RF) milled curd, direct-saltedGouda cheese, which involved altering the initial lactosecontent of cheesemilk. In traditional Gouda cheesemanufacture, a critical technique to control acidity iswhey dilution (WD); that is, partial removal of wheyand its replacement with water. Direct standardizationof the lactose content of milk during the ultrafiltrationprocess could be a simpler and more effective techniqueto control cheese acidity. This study compared the effectof traditional WD at 2 different levels, 15 and 30%(WD15 and WD30), with the alternative approach ofadjustment of the lactose content of milk using lowconcentration-factor ultrafiltration (LCF-UF). Thecomposition, texture, functionality, and sensory propertiesof these LF and RF Gouda cheeses were evaluated.A milled curd, direct-salted cheese manufacturingprotocol was used. Milks used for cheesemaking hada lactose-to-casein (L:CN) ratio of approximately 1.8,which is the typical ratio found in milk, whereas milksprepared with lactose standardization (LS) were madefrom UF concentrated milks with water added duringfiltration to achieve a L:CN ratio of approximately1.1. Cheeses made with LS exhibited lower lactose andlactic acid contents than WD30 and WD15, leading tosignificantly higher pH values in the cheese. Dynamicsmall-amplitude oscillatory rheology indicated that useof LS led to cheeses with a lower crossover temperature(melting point) than the cheeses made with WD. Cheesesmade with LS had lower insoluble Ca contents, likelycaused by the addition of water required to achieve thelower L:CN ratio in these milks. Sensory analysis alsoindicated that LS cheeses had lower acidity and softertexture. These results suggest that standardization ofthe L:CN ratio of milk could be a useful alternative toWD (or a curd rinse step) to reduce acidity in cheeses.In addition, LS could be used to help soften texture andincrease meltability, if desired in lower-fat cheese types.