Evaluating the efficiency of Lactiplantibacillus pentosus as a biocoagulant in soy cheese production: Effects on texture properties

The increasing demand for plant-based foods has driven interest in improving soy cheese quality through alternative coagulation strategies. This study compared the effects of fermentation with <i>Lactiplantibacillus pentosus</i> and glucono-δ-lactone (GDL) coagulation on the yield, protein, dry matter, microstructure, rheological behavior, and textural properties of soy cheese. Fermented soy cheese (FSC) exhibited a significantly higher yield (15.06 %) than GDL-coagulated soy cheese (GSC; 12.82 %, <i>p < 0.05</i>), primarily due to improved water retention rather than changes in dry matter content. Protein content showed only minor variations between treatments during gel formation and refrigerated storage, while SDS-PAGE analysis indicated limited protein hydrolysis. Microstructural analysis revealed a more homogeneous, honeycomb-like network in FSC, whereas GSC displayed coarser structures with larger pores. Power-law modeling indicated lower elastic and viscous consistency indices (K' and K″) in FSC on day one (<i>p < 0.05</i>), reflecting a softer and more flowable gel; however, no significant differences were observed after 14 days of storage. Texture profile analysis showed no significant difference in hardness between FSC (2586.32 ± 175.08) and GSC (2809.92 ± 116.28) on day one, whereas GSC exhibited a pronounced increase in hardness after 14 days (10019.75 ± 764.37). FSC displayed higher cohesiveness on the first day, while gumminess and chewiness were significantly higher in GSC after cold storage. Overall, fermentation with <i>L. pentosus</i> enhanced the yield of soy cheese and produced a softer, more uniform gel under the studied conditions, demonstrating its potential as a functional biocoagulant in soy cheese production.