A NEW APPROACH USING HOMOGENIZATION OF CREAM IN THE MANUFACTURE OF REDUCED FAT CHEDDAR CHEESE .1. MANUFACTURE, COMPOSITION, AND YIELD

Five replicates of skim milk used to manufacture reduced fat Cheddar cheese were standardized to 1.65% fat with cream homogenized at first and second stage pressures of 176 and 35kg/cm(2) respectively. Four treatments (159 kg of milk each) were employed: homogenized cream, low moisture; control, low moisture; homogenized cream, high moisture; and control, high moisture. Curd shattering was not observed in any treatment. The two low moisture treatments received 50 min of cooking at 36 to 37 degrees C, and the two high moisture treatments received 50 min of cooking and one 15-min washing at 33 to 34 degrees C. Cheese moisture (45.7, 44.2, 47.7, and 46.0%, respectively) and yield adjusted to 45% moisture and 1.5% salt (8.33, 8.08, 8.21, and 7.98%, respectively) were higher in cheeses made with homogenized cream. Yield, corrected for moisture and salt, was lower for the high moisture cheeses because of curd washing. Acid-soluble protein and VFA were normal in all treatments at 1, 13, and 26 wk of ripening. Body and texture of reduced fat Cheddar cheeses made from homogenized cream were improved over those for the control cheeses, which were rubbery and curdy. Homogenization of cream decreased the hardness of reduced fat cheese over control cheeses.