The texture of commercial full-fat and reduced-fat cheese

The effect of fat reduction on sensory texture and physical properties of commercially available natural and processed cheeses was investigated. The texture of 5 cheeses in full- and reduced-fat versions was characterized by modified descriptive analysis and torsional fracture methods. Reduced-fat cheeses were perceived to be more waxy, fracturable, chewy, hard, and springy and less sticky, cohesive, meltable, and smooth than full-fat cheese. Full-fat cheese had lower fracture stress values than the equivalent reduced-fat products. Fracture strain values did not distinguish cheeses based on fat content. These results demonstrate general textural differences between the full-fat and reduced fat versions of select cheeses.