VEGETABLE FATS INFLUENCE ON THE PHYSICO-CHEMICAL AND SENSORIAL PROPERTIES OF “TELEMEA” CHEESE

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to study the influence of the milk fat substitution with vegetable fats into the “Telemea” cheese, a Romanian traditional cheese. The milk fat was substitute with vegetable fats in two percentages (50 % and 75%). The three samples  have been made at industrial scale and their properties have been analysed from physicochemical (acidity, pH, fat, fat acidity) and sensorial properties:  texture  (consistency,  compactness,  firmness,  cohesiveness,  creaminess, gumminess  and cheese  severity),  the  taste  (sweet,  bitter,  salty  and  sour),  colour,  smell,  the  exterior  aspect  and  the section aspect.   The  vegetable fats  are  rich  in  vitamin  E  and  carotenoids,  vitamin A precursors;  the three class of substances being natural antioxidants, which protect the organism from the free radical actions. The vegetable fats are the most stables fats used in food industry, keeping their properties for a greater time. The addition of vegetable fats to the “Telemea” cheese do not  change noticeable the values of the physicochemical and sensorial properties of cheese.