Development of a preservative for white fresh cheese from the addition of Peruvian Tara gum Caesalpinia spinosa

Over the time, fresh cheese undergoes changes in its physicochemical and sensorial properties, mostly associated to the loss of moisture, which directly affects the texture and yield. In this sutdy, we elaborated an alternative formulation for the preparation of cheese with Peruvian tara gum Caesalpinia spinosa, for moisture retention increasing, without loss of sensory acceptance. Different formulations were prepared by modifying amounts of salt and tara gum to achieve the highest sensory acceptability, without loss of texture, water and weight. Microbiological tests were performed in agreement with Peruvian regulations, showing limits of mold, yeast, coliform, Salmonella sp and bacteria below the stablished limit. Cheese with addition of tara gum presented a moisture content of 59.8 +/- 0.6%, ensuring the physical properties of the cheese. One-hundred untrained individuals experienced the sensory acceptability test. In a nine-point hedonic scale, the acceptance for salt and texture were 8.2 for salt, while the appearance achieved. The optimal formulation for the preparation was 0.05% tara gum with a shelf life of 14 days in refrigeration. The prepared cheese is a promising alternative for production of fresh cheese with greater yield and sensory acceptability.