Incorporation of whey proteins in cheese

In traditional cheese-making casein forms the curd structure while whey pro teins are lost in the whey. When whey proteins are integrated into fresh, s oft, semi-hard and hard cheese, this not only improves the nutrient value a nd yield but also causes changes to functional properties. There are severa l technologies for re-integrating whey proteins into cheese during processi ng. The application and process adaptations depend mainly on the type of ch eese and the desired texture. Whey proteins may be retained by applying hig h heat treatment in order to affix the whey proteins to caseins or by using membrane technology to reduce the aqueous phase. Alternatively, whey prote ins may be removed from drained whey by ultrafiltration and then added to c urd after special heat treatment or by recycling into cheese milk. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.