Camembert-Type Cheese with Sweet Buttermilk: The Determination of Quality Properties and Microstructure

Camembert is a type of surface-mold-ripened soft cheese traditionally produced from cow's milk. Buttermilk, a by-product of butter production with beneficial nutritional and technological properties, is increasingly being used in various applications, including cheesemaking. Therefore, this study aimed to use sweet buttermilk (BM) in combination with milk at concentrations of 10% (<i>w</i>/<i>w</i>) (BM10) and 20% (<i>w</i>/<i>w</i>) (BM20) for the production of Camembert-type cheese. A control cheese made entirely from milk was also produced. The cheese samples underwent a 28-day ripening process during which their composition, acidity, water activity, color, and sensory properties were examined at 1-week intervals. The microstructure of the matured Camembert-type cheese samples was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and their texture was evaluated. The production yield of BM20 cheese (18.03 ± 0.29 kg/100 kg) was lower (<i>p</i> < 0.05) than that of the control (19.92 ± 0.23 kg/100 kg), with BM10 showing the distinctly lowest yield (14.74 ± 0.35 kg/100 kg). The total solid and fat content of BM Camembert-type cheese samples was lower than the control. However, the total protein content in cheese BM20 at the end of the ripening period was the same as that of the control. The changes in acidity in all samples were typical for Camembert cheese, and water activity was high (above 0.92). The sensory properties of all samples were characteristic of the cheese type, while the color of BM cheese samples differed from the control. The microstructure of BM10 and BM20 cheese variants was similar, namely homogenous and less porous compared to the control. In terms of texture, the BM samples had significantly lower hardness, adhesiveness, and gumminess. This study indicates that sweet BM, particularly at a concentration of 20%, may be effectively used in the production of Camembert-type cheese.