Effect of xanthan gum and soy protein isolate on physicochemical properties of processed cheese

Processed cheese is one of the main cheese varieties in the world that is used as an ingredient in various food preparations. In processed cheeses, emulsifying salts play an important role that ensure product homogeneity with desirable physical properties. However, the consumption of this salts are not good for human health. Therefore, nowadays with the aim of reducing the amount of phosphorus, increasing the ratio of calcium to Phosphate and decreasing the consumption of sodium and its compounds, attempts have been made to produce processed cheese or its analogs without the use of traditional phosphate- and polyphosphate-based emulsifying salts that leading to production of functional new products. In this study, the effect of xanthan gum (0.1 to 0.4 wt%) and soy protein isolate (0.5 to 2 wt%) as a partial replacement of emulsifying salts (0 to 2 wt% ) on the physicochemical properties of processed cheese was evaluated. The optimum sample in term of sensory and physical properties based on preliminary tests was a sample containing 0.38 wt% xanthan gum, 2 wt% soy protein isolate and 1.090 wt% emulsifying salts were selected and physic-chemical properties of this sample was compared with control sample during 60 days storage. The results showed that hardness, gumminess, chewiness, springiness, pH value, and b* index of optimum and control samples decreased during storage and a* index only in the control sample decreased. In contrast, cohesiveness, adhesiveness, meltability, acidity and L* index in both samples increased.