Mozzarella cheese as a vehicle for dietary fiber: Technological challenges and consumer acceptance

The dairy sector is constantly innovating in response to market trends and consumers' nutritional needs. This study investigated the feasibility of fortifying Mozzarella cheese with dietary fibers, specifically long-chain inulin and bamboo fiber, to enhance its nutritional profile. The research was conducted in two stages: a pilot-scale trial to assess the technological, physico-chemical, and sensory effects of fiber incorporation, followed by an industrial-scale production and consumer acceptance test of the most promising formulation. At the pilot scale, three cheese variants were produced: a control Mozzarella cheese (C), Mozzarella with 3% inulin (CI), and Mozzarella with 3% bamboo fiber (CB). The results showed that bamboo fiber significantly altered the cheese-making process, almost doubling the stretching time (6.55 min vs. 3.30 min for C) and substantially increasing moisture retention (greater than 4.75%), which consequently impacted the product's texture and imparted a distinct vegetable sensory note. In contrast, the inulin-fortified Mozzarella (CI) exhibited physico-chemical and sensory characteristics highly comparable to the traditional Mozzarella, showing minimal variations in color, texture, and flavor profile. Particularly, the hardness (N) of samples after production was 9.66, 10.38 and 12.33 for C, CI and CB, respectively, highlighting greater discrimination for the CB sample. Based on these results, the inulin-fortified cheese was selected for industrial scale-up. The industrially produced Mozzarella with inulin (MI) successfully incorporated a 3% fiber content, qualifying for the "Source of fiber" nutritional claim (Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006). A consumer test with 102 participants revealed that although the control Mozzarella cheese (MC) achieved higher ratings for overall acceptability and taste, the inulin-enriched version was perceived as texturally harder. Analysis of the preference map revealed that a significant proportion of consumers (60-80%) rated the MI product positively and found it acceptable. This study demonstrates that fortifying Mozzarella with inulin is technologically feasible and can produce a product with an enhanced nutritional profile, though consumer acceptance is influenced by sensory deviations from the traditional counterpart.