Formulation and Quality Evaluation of Reduced Fat Spreadable Processed Cheese Using some Functional Ingredients

This study presents a novel approach to formulating reduced-fat spreadable processed cheese by incorporating functional ingredients to enhance nutritional and sensory attributes. It aims to address consumer demand for healthier dairy alternatives without compromising quality. The objective of this study was to evaluate the formulation and quality of reduced-fat spreadable processed cheese enriched with functional ingredients including whey protein concentrate (WPC), sweet potato powder (SPP) and mango peel powder (MPP). The results showed that fat reduction led to increased moisture, protein and ash contents. The WPC-enriched formulation showed a protein content of 12.62% and a significantly reduced fat content of 12.63% compared to 30.72% in the full-fat cheese. WPC also enhanced protein levels and moisture retention. Although all reduced-fat formulations exhibited decreased meltability most notably with WPC and MPP, the SPP formulation demonstrated the highest meltability among them (7.67 compared to 9.2 in full-fat cheese). SPP also showed superior viscosity (65.75 Pa·s at 25°C) and structural stability under shear stress. Sensory evaluation revealed that the SPP-treated cheese had the highest overall acceptability (8.53 fresh, 8.27 after 30 days) while MPP received the lowest scores for flavor and texture. These findings highlight SPP as a promising fat replacer for developing reduced-fat functional processed cheese with enhanced nutritional and sensory properties.