DOES ADDITION OF BUTTERMILK AFFECT THE ORGANOLEPTIC PROPERTIES OF LOW-FAT CHEDDAR CHEESE

The following variations were introduced in the manufacture of low-fat (less than 15% fat in dry matter) Cheddar cheese: 1. homogenisation o f the cream with some of the skimmilk; 2. addition of buttermilk; 3. h omogenisation of the cream with the buttermilk. The cheeses were matur ed at 13-degrees-C for 15 and 23 weeks. Panelists were asked to pick t he odd sample in triangle tests set up to distinguish between the cont rols and the experimental milk treatments. Addition of buttermilk homo genised with the cream was the only treatment to produce cheeses measu rably different from the controls. These cheeses were also preferred b y the panelists, the preference having both textural and flavour compo nents. However, the differences were relatively minor and unlikely to be of commerical significance.