Sensory quality of unheated and heated Mozzarella-style cheeses with different fat, salt and calcium levels

The current study evaluated the effects of reducing fat from 23w/w to 11w/w and salt from 1.8 to 1.0w/w on the texture profile attributes, volatile compounds and sensory characteristics of unheated and heated (95 °C) mozzarella-style cheese after 15 and 35 days of storage at 4 °C. Reducing fat content significantly impaired sensory acceptability, mainly because of associated increases in firmness, rubberiness and chewiness, and reductions in fat flavour and cheese flavour in the unheated and heated cheeses. Reducing salt content had relatively minor effects. Reducing calcium content counteracted some of the negative sensory attributes associated with reduced-fat cheese.