Cream cheesecurd is a type of processed cheese, originally Brazilian, produced throughout the entire Brazilian territory with some technological variations. This is one of the main types of cheese produced and consumed in Brazil and it is known for presenting an elevated fat content. On the other hand, the fat plays a fundamental role in appearance, flavor and texture of cheese, then developing a light product with sensory quality similar to the traditional version is a major challenge to food industry. In this context, the objective of this study was to evaluate the chemical composition and sensory acceptability of light cream cheesecurd with different levels of fat reduction for texture and overall impression. The experiment followed a design of response surface, the Central Composite Rotatable Design (CCRD) with two factors (fat and moisture). The sensory acceptability was evaluated by 100 consumers, by the hedonic scale of nine points. The results showed that the cheesecurds with different levels of fat reduction had similar sensory acceptability when combined with a proportional increase in moisture content. The products that presented dry defatted extract (DDE) of approximately 19.3%, originated from different combinations of fat and moisture, were those with better acceptance by consumers, demonstrating the importance of DDE in sensory acceptance.
light cream cheesecurd; fat; moisture; sensory acceptability
