Physicochemical and Sensory Properties of Short-Term Fermented Cream Cheese with Added Citrus junos Peel Powder

In this study, we analyzed the quality characteristics of short-term fermented cream cheese with added Citrus junos peel (CP). Samples were classified as CP1, CP2, and CP3 based on the amount of CP added. The quality analysis included pH, viscosity, CIE color, electronic nose, electronic tongue, and sensory evaluation. The pH of the samples significantly decreased with increasing CP levels (p < 0.05). Over time, the viscosity of the CP-added treatment groups was lower than that of the control (Con). The lightness (L* value) of CP-containing samples was significantly lower than that of the Con (p < 0.05). The redness (a* value) of the CP3 sample was significantly higher than that of the other samples (p < 0.05), while the yellowness (b* value) significantly increased with higher CP levels (p < 0.05). Electronic nose analysis indicated that increasing CP content enhanced fruity, apple, orange, sweet, and citrus flavor profiles. Electronic tongue analysis showed that as CP addition increased, saltiness increased, whereas sourness and umami taste decreased. Sensory evaluation revealed that CP1 received high scores in all attributes except “saltiness”, while CP3 received lower scores across evaluations except “saltiness”. In particular, CP1 received significantly higher evaluations in the “off-flavor”, “taste”, “acidity”, and “overall acceptability” evaluations (p < 0.05). Overall, the findings suggested that CP is suitable for use in short-term fermented cream cheese, with CP1 identified as the optimal addition level.