Sensory and instrumental characterization of low-fat and non-fat cream cheese

This study explored relationships between physical/chemical and sensory properties using a set of 20 low-fat and non-fat cream cheeses. High correlations were found between several descriptors; hand resistance (i.e., tactile firmness) was best predicted by squeezing flow viscometry (r = 0.90) and followed by dynamic oscillation (r = 0.86), steady shear viscometry (r = 0.83, excluding non-fat samples), and contraction flow viscometry (r = 0.80). However, taking into account the measurement uncertainty, similar maximal correlations were found for contraction flow and squeezing flow. Creaminess was found to be governed largely by oral graininess (r = -0.98), and was best predicted instrumentally by friction measurements (r = 0.90)

Fat-Reduced cream cheeses

Cream cheese is a fresh acid coagulated cheese product with soft and spreadable texture, which is acidified by mesophilic lactic acid starter culture. Variants of some of the soft, fresh cheese (e.g., Quark, Cottage cheese, Fromage frais, Bakers cheese, Queso Blanco, and Neufchatel) are also produced from acidification of milk to pH 4.6 which causes the casein to coagulate at their isoelectric point (Fox, Guinee, Cogan, & Mcsweeney, 2017). Regular cream cheese contains a higher percentage of fat, minimum of 33% in the US and 30% in Canada compared to other types of cheese (Phadungath, 2005). Due to high-fat content in cream cheese and the increased consumer awareness of the health risks associated with high dietary fat, the demand for low-fat foods, including cheese, has grown substantially. Although fat reduction may provide consumers with healthier products, the changes in sensory and textural characteristics of low-fat cream cheese, compared to its full-fat counterpart, may influence the consumer’s response