2024 Technical Program
Edible Applications Technology
Cameryn Sanders (she/her/hers)
MSc student
University of Guelph
St Thomas, Ontario, Canada
Stacie Dobson, MSc (she/her/hers)
PhD Candidate
University of Guelph
University of Guelph
Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Alejandro G. Marangoni, PhD (he/him/his)
O.C., F.R.S.C. Professor and Tier I Canada Research Chair
University of Guelph
Guelph, ON, Canada
Plant-based cheeses provide an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional dairy, often incorporating coconut oil to mimic the texture of animal fat. Addressing health and sustainability concerns in plant-based foods is crucial, necessitating the exploration of alternative fat combinations. This study examines the influence of protein properties on the functionality of plant-based cheeses, specifically focusing on saturated and unsaturated fats. Three pea proteins (PP1, PP2, PP3), a faba protein (FP1), and a lentil protein (LP1) were utilized in the cheese formulations. Various ratios of coconut oil to sunflower oil (100%, 75%, 50%, 25%, 0%) were employed to evaluate the impact of saturated fat content on the cheeses' physical characteristics. Textural profile analysis revealed that after setting at 5°C for 24 hours, the hardness of cheeses increased with higher amounts of coconut oil, which increased the solid fat content. The cheese formulated with PP1 at 25% coconut oil exhibited the firmest texture of over 65N due to unique protein-fat interactions, which is similar to the hardness of 68N at 75% coconut oil. Rheological properties of the cheeses were assessed between 20-95°C, focusing on tanδ (ratio of loss modulus to storage modulus) at 95°C as a measure of melt performance. Despite PP1's hardness being 30N greater than other cheeses, it maintained a similar melt and stretch, with tanδ values within 25% of the different samples. This suggests an opportunity to customize protein-fat interactions to achieve the desired hardness while preserving functional properties and improving the sustainability and health benefits of the final product.