Effects of pre-emulsification with heat-treated whey protein on texture and microstructure of processed cheese

In this study, we pre-emulsified fat with heat-treated whey protein and investigated the effects of pre-emulsification on texture and microstructure of processed cheese. Pre-emulsification made the processed cheese have a higher hardness, gumminess and chewiness. With the increasing extent of emulsification, the microstructure of cheese taken by scanning electron microscopy became more uniform. Confocal microscopy revealed that the homogeneity of the continuous protein matrix increased with the increase of pre-emulsified extent. However, due to the decrease of free fat content, the stretchability and meltability of pre-emulsified cheese decreased slightly. This study revealed that pre-emulsification can restrict the fat accumulation and adjust the texture of processed cheese. And the results of this study will help us understand the effects of pre-emulsification on processed cheese.