A significant amount of research is undertaken to improve the functional properties and sensory attributes of low-fat cheeses.
Dairy Management Incorporated, through its unified National Dairy Foods Research Center has organized a panel of expert cheese researchers to develop low-fat cheeses with wide consumer appeal.
Some of the research institutions invovled in this project include the Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences at Utah State University, through the Western Dairy Center, the Department of Food Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the Department of Food, Bioprocessing & Nutrition Sciences at North Carolina State University.
The Food and Drug Administration regulations state that, to be labeled low-fat, cheese must contain no more than 6% fat by weight. In the case of cheddar, this represents an 80% reduction from its full-fat version. A reduced-fat cheese label, requires a 25% fat reduction!
Low-fat cheese research is focused on mozzarella and cheddar cheeses. Several processing technolgies are being investigated to reduce the fat level on these products while maintaining their functional properties, such as melting behavior, buttery flavor and texture. Some of these strategies include the use of monoglycerides, lecithin and starches. More information about this topic can be found at http://www.innovatewithdairy.com
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