METHOD FOR MANUFACTURE OF FAT-FREE NATURAL CHEESE

摘要

The present invention is directed to a low-fat natural cheese manufactured from skim milk or skim milk cheese. In one embodiment of the invention, a gelforming fat mimetic is added to skim milk to provide a cheese substrate. The gel-forming fat mimetic may be gelled in situ or may be pregelled. The cheese substrate is then subjected to a cheese make procedure to provide a cheese curd. The cheese curd is then cured to provide a low-fat skim milk cheese. The skim milk cheese is comminuted and heated to a temperature of from about 140 ·F to about 180 ·F for a period of time sufficient to provide a homogeneous cheese mass. The cheese mass is then packaged to provide a low-fat natural cheese.