EFFECT OF ADDITION OF WHEY-PROTEIN ON THE FORMATION OF FIBROUS STRUCTURE IN PROCESSED CHEESE

The formation of fibrous structure in processed cheese was investigated using two-week ripened Gouda and eight-month ripened Emmental cheese. Commercial protein ingredients such as whey protein concentrate (WPC), egg white, sodium caseinate, and soy protein isolate (SPI) were added to the above two cheese types during cooking in order to evaluate their contribution to the formation of fibrous structure. Among these ingredients, WPC promoted the formation of fibrous structure, and a slight contribution was observed in case of egg white, while no fibrous structure was obtained when either sodium caseinate or SPI was added. Well ripened Gouda cheese was unsuitable for manufacturing fibrous cheese, since an increase of ripeness tended to decrease fibrousness even though WPC was added. On the other hand, an increase of ripeness seemed to give no adverse effects on fibrousness in Emmental type. These results indicated that such factors as type and ripeness of cheese and the addition of WPC were critical for the formation of fibrous structure in processed cheese.