Efeito do uso de enzimas proteolíticas na maturação de queijo Prato com teor reduzido de gordura

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Efeito de enzimas proteolíticas, de origem vegetal e microbiana, e da temperatura de maturação nas características de queijo Prato com teor reduzido de gordura

Pós-graduação em Engenharia e Ciência de Alimentos - IBILCE

Queijo Prato com teor reduzido de gordura adicionado de enzima proteolítica: características físicas e sensoriais

The Prato cheese is the second most consumed cheese in Brazil. It is produced by milk enzymatic coagulation, and maturated for at least 25 days; it is classified as fatty cheese and of medium moisture. Due to the concern to health, the cheeses consumers have been seeking for products with low fat contents; however fat is essential for providing desirable sensory and physiologic characteristics, such as flavor, softness and texture to cheeses. Alterations on the technological processing of low fat cheeses have been made seeking for improved products, and the use of proteolytic enzymes has been a significant strategy. The meltability, color and sensory characteristics are fundamental quality indicators of the final products. This study reports the findings from the analyses on the physical and sensory characteristics of low fat Prato cheese with addition of proteolytic enzyme – fastuosain, that is extracted from unripe gravata fruit. The addition of fastuosain improved the quality of the product, as this additive neither affected the meltability, nor produced bitterness, which is a common unpleasant taste in low fat cheeses.