USE OF FAT REPLACERS IN LOW-FAT MOZZARELLA CHEESE

Low fat Mozzarella cheeses with <6% fat were made using fat replacers to increase the moisture content and to improve the functional propert ies of the cheese. We used two protein-based fat replacers (Simplesse( R) D100 and Dairy-Lo(R)) and two carbohydrate-based fat replacers (Ste llar(TM) 100X and Novagel(TM) RCN-15). Moisture contents of the cheese s were 53.0, 54.3, 55.2, 55.3, and 57.3% for the control, Stellar(TM), Dairy-Lo(R), Simplesse(R), and Novagel(TM) cheeses, respectively. App arent viscosity of the cheese at 80 degrees C was not significantly af fected by addition of fat replacers, but there was a significant effec t on meltability. Cheeses made with Stellar(TM) and Simplesse(R) had g reater overall meltability than cheese made with Dairy-Lo(R) or the co ntrol. The cheese made with Novagel(TM) contained the most moisture bu t, from d 1 to d 14, melted to the least extent. By d 21, all cheeses melted to the same extent.The location of the fat replacers in the che ese structure was examined using scanning electron microscopy. Distrib ution of the fat replacers within the cheese was influenced by the ext ent of microparticulation of the fat replacer, size of the fat replace r particles, and processing steps that caused an interaction between t he fat replacer and the caseins in milk. Novagel(TM) was present as th e largest particles (up to 80 mu m), and their incorporation into the cheese curd resulted in increased openness in the cheese, and large se rum channels (up to 300 mu m) were formed. None of the other fat repla cers increased the openness of the cheese structure. Cheese sample pre paration for the electron microscopy caused the Novagel(TM) particles to shrink and to appear artifactually as solid particles rather than a s fibrous particles as shown by freeze-drying. Stellar(TM) was observe d as spheroid particles (0.5 to 1 mu m in diameter) embedded within th e protein matrix of the cheese as well as being present in the serum c hannels. No discrete Dairy-Lo(R) particles were observed in the protei n matrix, indicating a low level of microparticulation (particles < 0. 2 mu m) of the proteins in Dairy-Lo(R).