Preparation and Texture Characteristics Analysis of Vegan Cheese Based on Zein

To address the poor stretchability in plant-based cheese, the stretchability of zein-based plant cheese (ZPC) as a function of konjac gum, coconut oil, and starch was optimized using Box-Behnken design in this study. And textural properties, water composition, moisture content, water holding capacity, and chromaticity were also determined, with commercial animal cheese (CAC) and commercial plant-based cheese（CPC）as reference. The results showed that the optimal amount for konjac gum, coconut oil, and starch was 0.11, 4.13, and 5.28 g, respectively, based on a foundation of 7.5 g of zein and 14.7 g of water. The tensile length of ZPC reached 108.59 mm, which was close to CAC (>190 mm), and much higher than CPC (2.21 mm). The textural characteristics of ZPC, such as hardness, cohesiveness and resilience, were generally higher than CPC. The moisture content (49%) fell between CPC (66.22%) and CAC (39.27%). Notably, the proportion of internal bound water (13.27%) and water-holding capacity (92.46%) were significantly higher than CAC and CPC (P<0.05). In terms of chromaticity, ZPC had the lowest brightness with a more pronounced red-yellow hue. In conclusion, ZPC showed more preferable textural performance especially in stretchability than CPC, as well as enhanced water retention and structural stability. This study provides theoretical insights and technical reference for development of zein and plant-based cheeses.