Impact of Concentrated Alpha Linolenic Acid Supplementation on Cheddar Cheese Composition and Quality Characteristics

Alpha‐linolenic acid (ALA) (99.3%) was extracted from flaxseed oil (FO) using a urea extraction technique and was first used to supplement Cheddar cheese. Cheddar cheese was supplemented with ALA at four different levels during the salting stage: control, T 1 (2.5%), T 2 (5.0%), T 3 (7.5%), and T 4 (10.0%) with a 90‐day storage interval. The composition of ALA‐enriched cheese of all treatments was similar to that of control cheese ( p > 0.05). At 0 day, the ALA content of control, T 1 , T 2 , T 3 , and T 4 , was 0.59%, 2.65%, 4.96%, 7.41%, and 9.25% (8.66% more than control). Cholesterol with a 9‐day storage interval in the control, T 1 , T 2 , T 3 , and T 4 , groups was 135, 122, 113, 95, and 82 mg/100 g, respectively. Vitamin A and vitamin E levels were stable in control, T 1 , T 2 , T 3 , and T 4 , during the ripening period ( p > 0.05). Peroxide values (POVs) of 90 days in control, T 1 , T 2 , T 3 , and T 4 , were 0.27, 0.45, 0.58, 0.61, and 0.81 meq O 2 /kg, respectively. The flavor scores of T 4 at 90 days were 8.4 out of 9 in 90‐day cheese. Urea‐extracted ALA at 10% concentration can be used to increase ALA in Cheddar cheese without any influence on sensory characteristics.