Understanding the structure and function of low-fat low-salt cheese and the potential to enrich with micronutrients.

The UK consumes 732,000 tonnes of hard cheese annually. The health consequences of this are substantial, as 100g of cheddar contains 50% and 25% of an adult's recommended daily intake of total fat and sodium respectively. High consumption of fat has been associated with increased risk of heart disease, type-2 diabetes, and stroke.
A major pitfall of low-fat cheese is its stiff and rubbery texture due to changes developed in the protein structure, as fewer fat droplets are immersed in the protein matrix. Additional drawbacks of low-fat cheese are its poor sensory characteristics (e.g. lack of an umami flavour) and its poorer baking quality. Hence, there is a need to look for ingredients or structures that act as an active filler and are embedded in the cheese protein matrix, to produce high quality low-fat low-salt cheese.
Modern diets are leading to insufficient daily intake of products rich in micronutrients, such as vitamins, bioactive compounds and omega 3 fatty acids, the nutritionally conscious consumers are seeking more functional foods in their diet. The development of new functional foods requires technologies for incorporating the health-promoting ingredients, without affecting their functionality and bioavailability.
The project aims to reduce levels of fat and salt in cheese by 30% and 10% respectively and potentially fortify the low fat and low salt cheese with various micronutrients to benefit consumers. The project will analyse the microstructure, physical properties, encapsulation efficiency of the micronutrients, sensory evaluation and functionality of the cheese produced.