Textural characteristics of cheese analogs incorporating fat replacers

The textural characteristics and microstructure of cheese analogs whose fat content was reduced with different ratios of low methoxyl pectin and whey protein concentrate commercial fat replacers were studied. Textural charact eristics were determined by the instrumental Texture Profile Analysis and b y a trained sensory panel. Microstructure was determined using Scanning Ele ctron Microscopy. Whey protein concentrate (WPC) analogs showed lower value s for the textural characteristics of hardness and firmness, replaced less fat and retained less water than the low methoxyl pectin (LMP) analogs. The LMP analogs exhibited a discontinuous protein matrix containing very small -dispersed fat droplets, associated to polyhedral gel panicles, while the W PC analogs presented a smooth continuous protein network, which perfectly e nwrapped larger fat particles. Polynomial models that predict the cheese an alogs texture in function of the fat replacer, fat and moisture ratios in t he formulation were established.