Functionality of Mozzarella cheese analogues prepared using varying protein sources as influenced by refrigerated storage.

The functional properties (shredability, meltability, fat leakage, stretchability) of Mozzarella Cheese Analogue (MCA) prepared using acid casein (ACMCA), rennet casein (RCMCA) and their admixture (ARCMCA) were monitored with those of Natural Mozzarella Cheese (NMC) during refrigerated storage. The shredability of analogues was superior over such attribute of NMC. The MCAs had good shredability up to 28 days, while that of NMC started deteriorating from 21 days onwards. The meltability of both NMC and MCAs improved with advancement of storage; the extent of increase in meltability during span of 35 days period was 2.65, 2.85, 2.78 and 2.63 for NMC, ACMCA, RCMCA and ARCMCA respectively. The stretch value of the MCAs exhibited an increase up to 21 days of refrigerated storage followed by decline up to 35 days, whereas NMC exhibited a linear increase in stretch value with advancement of storage till 35 days. There was a steady decline in the fat leakage in case of any of the MCAs with advancement in storage period; the difference in the values of fat leakage up to 35 days was to the tune of 1.50 cm2, 1.39 cm2 and 1.43 cm2 for ACMCA, RCMCA and ARCMCA respectively. Conversely, NMC exhibited linear increase in fat leakage with progressive storage up to 35 days. It is concluded that MCAs had better functional stability as compared to NMC during refrigerated storage. Amongst MCAs, ARCMCA performed better in terms of baking qualities than those prepared using AC or RC alone. MCAs had better storage stability as compared to NMC.

Comparative appraisal of ghee and common vegetable oils for spectral characteristics in FT-MIR reflectance spectroscopy.

FT-MIR spectra of ghee (anhydrous milk fat) and common vegetable oils were acquired using HATR in 4000-650 cm-1 region. The differences in absorbance by carbon-hydrogen (C-H) stretch in fatty acid chain at 3.48 µm and absorbance by carbonyl (C-O) stretch of ester linkage at 5.7 µm in ghee and that in vegetable oils were studied. The clear differences in the spectra of ghee and that of the vegetable oils were noticed in fingerprint region, which can be very well utilized to develop FT-MIR spectroscopy as a promising tool to detect presence of common vegetable oils mixed in the ghee as an adulterant.

Influence of using a blend of rennet casein and whey protein concentrate as protein source on the quality of Mozzarella cheese analogue.

The effect of incorporating whey protein concentrate (WPC) on the quality characteristics of Mozzarella cheese analogue (MCA) based on rennet casein (RC) was studied. The proportion of RC:WPC tried out were 95:5, 90:10, and 85:15 w/w. The formulation of MCA comprised of 23.5% of blend of RC and WPC, 15% specialty vegetable fat, 2.75% trisodium citrate + disodium hydrogen orthophosphate (2.5:1, w/w), 0.07% calcium chloride, 0.6% citric acid, 1.1% NaCl, 1.5% cheese bud flavoring, and rest water. Varying the proportion of RC and WPC had a significant influence on the composition, textural properties, baking qualities and sensory quality of MCA judged as a topping on pizza pie. MCA made using protein blends (RC:WPC-90:10 or 85:15) behaved satisfactorily during pizza baking trials. However, looking at the superiority of MCA made using RC:WPC (90:10) with regard to shred quality and marginal superiority in terms of the total sensory score of cheese, judged as pizza topping, the former blend (i.e. RC:WPC, 90:10) was selected. The MCA obtained employing such protein blend had composition similar to that of Pizza cheese prepared from cheese milk and had requisite baking characteristics needed as a pizza topping. It is recommended to use a blend of RC and WPC (90:10) as the protein source in the formulation of MCA to obtain nutritionally superior cheese product having desired functional properties for its end use in baking applications.

Comparison of five analytical methods for the determination of peroxide value in oxidized ghee.

In the present study, a comparison of five peroxide analytical methods was performed using oxidized ghee. The methods included the three iodometric titration viz. Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS), Association of Analytical Communities (AOAC) and American Oil Chemists' Society (AOCS), and two colorimetric methods, the ferrous xylenol orange (FOX) and ferric thiocyanate (International Dairy Federation, IDF) methods based on oxidation of iron. Six ghee samples were stored at 80 °C to accelerate deterioration and sampled periodically (every 48 h) for peroxides. Results were compared using the five methods for analysis as well as a flavor score (9 point hedonic scale). The correlation coefficients obtained using the different methods were in the order: FOX (-0.836) > IDF (-0.821) > AOCS (-0.798) > AOAC (-0.795) > BIS (-0.754). Thus, among the five methods used for determination of peroxide value of ghee during storage, the highest coefficient of correlation was obtained for the FOX method. The high correlations between the FOX and flavor data indicated that FOX was the most suitable method tested to determine peroxide value in oxidized ghee.

Standardization of the method for utilization of paneer whey in cultured buttermilk.

Whey is a liquid by-product obtained during manufacture of coagulated milk products like paneer, cheese etc. Its disposal as waste leads to heavy load in dairy effluent and loss of valuable milk solids. For efficient and economic utilization of whey, a method was standardized for the preparation of cultured butter milk using paneer whey as one of the ingredient. It involved fermentation of paneer whey and double toned milk separately using starter culture containing Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus. The paneeer whey can be successfully incorporated up to 50 % by following the standardized method. The proximate chemical composition of cultured buttermilk was 8.31 % total solids, 2.26 % protein, 1.12 % fat, 4.42 % lactose and 0.56 % ash. The cultured buttermilk has acceptable sensory qualities and shelf life of 5 days under refrigerated condition.

Concise and informative title: evaluation of selected spices in extending shelf life of paneer.

Black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon and clove were tested for their relative efficacy in improving shelf life of paneer. All the spices were incorporated in paneer @ 0 (control), 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0 % by wt. of expected yield of paneer. Addition of black pepper, cardamom or clove at the rate of 0.6 % by weight or cinnamon at the rate of 0.4 % by weight was found to be acceptable. Therefore, paneer was prepared by incorporating black pepper, cardamom and clove i.e. Bp, Ca and Cl @ 0.6 % and cinnamon (Ci) @ 0.4 % by wt. of expected yield of paneer. All the paneer samples viz. Bp, Ca, Cl and Ci were subjected to sensory evaluation when fresh and after interval of 7 days during storage at 7 ± 1 °C up to 28 days. Results indicated that control remained acceptable up to 7 days, Bp up to 14 days of storage and Cl up to 21st day of storage. The overall acceptability score of Ca remained well above the acceptable level even on 28th day of the storage. Results of changes in chemical characteristics indicate that amongst all the spices studied, cardamom had maximum ability to control the rate of increase in acidity, free fatty acids content and soluble nitrogen content in paneer during storage. The order of the relative effectiveness in enhancing shelf life of paneer was cardamom > cinnamon > clove > black pepper. The effect of cardamom on microbial counts of paneer viz. standard plate counts (SPC), yeast and mould count and coliform count were evaluated. Among the spices studied, cardamom was found to be the best spice to improve shelf life of paneer up to 28 days of storage at 7 ± 1 °C.

Evaluation of efficacy of turmeric as a preservative in paneer.

A study was conducted to evaluate turmeric as a preservative for extending shelf life of paneer. In the first part of the study, turmeric was incorporated in the product at the rate of 0.0 (control), 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0 % by weight of expected yield of paneer. Based on changes in sensory score of paneer, the rate of addition of turmeric to milk was selected as 0.4 % by weight of expected yield of paneer. In the next part the effect of addition of turmeric at the rate of 0.4 % by weight of expected yield of paneer before heat treatment of milk and after heat treatment of milk was studied. The prepared samples of paneer were subjected to sensory evaluation when fresh and after the interval and during storage for 12 days at 7±1 °C. The samples of stored paneer obtained in case of turmeric added before heating of milk scored higher. It was observed that the addition of turmeric before heat treatment of milk markedly reduced taste of raw turmeric in resultant samples of paneer. Therefore, it was decided to try one higher (0.6 %) concentration of turmeric along with 0.4 % in the next part where the effectiveness of turmeric in extending the shelf life of paneer was evaluated. The samples of paneer with 0.6 % turmeric by weight of expected yield of paneer remain acceptable up to 12 days on storage at 7±1 °C. The present study entailed to conclude that addition of turmeric in paneer at the rate greater than 0.6 % by weight of expected yield of paneer results into sharp decline in sensory score of paneer. Addition of turmeric at the rate of 0.6 % by weight of expected yield of paneer extends the shelf life of paneer up to 12 days on storage at 7±1 °C.

Process standardization for rennet casein based Mozzarella cheese analogue.

A process for manufacture of Mozzarella cheese analogue (MCA) using rennet casein and plastic cream as protein and fat sources respectively was standardized. The formulation comprised of 25% plastic cream (72% fat), 27% rennet casein along with 3% tri-sodium citrate as emulsifying salt, 2% maltodextrin as binder, 0.55% lactic acid as pH regulator, 1% common salt for seasoning, 1% Mozzarella cheese bud as flavouring and 40.4% water. The process involved (a) dissolving the dry mixture of casein, maltodextrin, flavouring and common salt in hot emulsifying salt solution, (b) incorporation of half the quantity of acid solution in casein-maltodextrin dough, followed by addition and emulsification of plastic cream, and (c) addition of remaining half of the acid solution and heating the mass to 80 °C until a plastic cheese mass was obtained. The analogue was shaped in ball form, cooled and packaged in polyethylene bag. The MCA conformed to the PFA requirements for pizza cheese and had all the requisite baking characteristics expected of pizza cheese topping.