Microstructure of low-fat cheddar cheese containing varying concentrations of sucrose polyesters

The effect of milkfat sucrose polyesters (SPE) on the microstructure of reduced and low fat Cheddar cheese was investigated Sucrose polyesters, nonpolar fat substitutes, were synthesized using milkfat fatty acids. Full fat cheeses were mane,vith milkfat SPE replacing 10, 25, 50, or 75% of the natural milkfat. Control cheese with no added SPE was also made No significant differences in moisture, pH or whey titratable acidity were observed between the control cheese and cheeses containing milkfat SPE, or among the cheeses containing milkfat SPE. Cheeses containing milkfat SPE exhibited fat globules that were smaller and more uniform in size compared to the control cheese with no SPE. (C) 1997 Academic Press Limited.