Lecithin Improves Texture of Reduced Fat Cheeses

Cheddar-type cheeses with 33% fat reduction were made with 0.2 or 0.5% (w/w) lecithin. Reduced fat cheeses with no lecithin and full fat cheeses were prepared as controls. Cheeses were aged 3 mo prior to instrumental and sensory evaluation. Reduced fat cheese with lecithin received higher overall texture scores from dairy judges than reduced fat control cheeses (P ≤ 0.05). Texture scores from dairy judges for cheeses with lecithin were not different from full fat cheeses. Reduced fat cheeses with lecithin were softer than reduced fat control cheeses as measured instrumentally and according to specific attribute panelists (P ≤ 0.05). Cheese wet weight yields were greater with addition of lecithin (P ≤ 0.05) which resulted in a softer more desirable texture in reduced fat cheeses.