1Riddet Institute, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
An increasing number of research are exploring plant-based options to either partially or completely replace dairy products due to the environmental concerns related to animal farming, animal welfare issues, personal health considerations. This presentation demonstrated the physical properties of hybrid processed cheese analogues (HPCAs) derived from plant proteins and rennet casein, aiming to understand the spatial and microstructural distribution of these components and their implications for cheese functionalities. The study involves mixing hemp protein or mung bean protein with rennet casein at various ratios to explore the interaction mechanisms among plant proteins, casein, and lipids in hybrid cheese matrices. Comprehensive analysis included rheological properties, solubility, texture profile, meltability, and stretchability of cheese samples. Protein composition and secondary protein structure were studied using SDS-PAGE, Raman spectroscopic and FTIR spectroscopy. Confocal microscopy and TEM were employed to visualize the spatial distribution and microstructure of the main components in the cheese matrix. The results revealed significant variations in the physical properties and microstructure of HPCAs based on plant protein types and plant protein to casein ratio. The addition of 30% or more plant protein affects the physical and textural properties and microstructure of cheese analogues, with poor fat emulsification. Mung bean protein-based HPCAs exhibit better stretchability, rheological, and textural properties, but not meltability, compared to the hemp protein system at the same mixing ratios. This difference is possibly related to the size of the plant protein aggregation. These findings deepen our understanding of plant protein-based and hybrid cheeses, paving the way for optimized plant-based dairy alternatives.