Cheese is not only created using cow's milk and can also be made from a mixture of
vegetable extracts, including corn extract. Cheese from corn extract has the advantages of
low-fat and high-carotene. Notably, papain can be used as a coagulant in the production of
cheese analogue, while maltodextrin functions to increase volume and total solids for
greater yield. The objectives of the present study was 1) to optimize the formula
composition between lime extract, papain, and maltodextrin to create a cheese analogue
from sweet corn extract with high yield and protein as well as good sensory properties, 2)
to study the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of the cheese analogue using the
optimal formula, and 3) to compare analog cheese from corn milk to cow's milk cheese.
The experimental design involved response surface methodology with three factors (lime
extract, papain, and maltodextrin). The results of the study produced the optimal cheese
analogue formula from corn extract with the addition of lime extract (2.283%), papain
(0.022%), and maltodextrin (15%). The characteristics of this cheese analogue include a
yield of 20.3%; pH of 5.4; 14oBrix soluble solids; water content of 65.3%; protein content
of 13.5%; total-carotene of 544.4 ppm and of fat content 4.6%. The cheese analogue has
sensory characteristics of soft texture, the ability to spread evenly, the typical color of
cheese (i.e. yellowish-white), and was preferred by panelists. Cheese analogue has protein
content of 7.1%, fat content of 4.55%, total carotene of 544.4 mg/g, cholesterol 0.02 mg/g;
while commercial cheese from cow’s milk has protein content 6.3%, fat content 24.53%,
total carotene 5.32 mg/g and cholesterol 0.19 mg/g. Thus, sweet corn can potentially be
used as a raw material for producing low-fat cheese analogues.
The physicochemical, texture hardness and sensorial properties of ultrafiltrated low-fat cheese containinggalactomannan and novagel gum [pdf]
