Effect of Iron Fortification on Quality of Cheddar Cheese

Dairy products are an important source of nutrients but are low in iron. Iron fortification of cheese could increase average dietary iron intake about 14%. In three experiments, 14 cheeses were fortified with iron to evaluate iron recovery and cheese quality. Iron was added to 8 kg of pasteurized milk before starter culture. Cheese quality was evaluated chemically by 2-thiobarbituric acid assay and organoleptically by 11 food scientists. Iron recoveries in the cheeses were 71 to 81% for FeC13, 52 to 53% for ferric citrate, 55 to 75% for Fe-casein complex, and 70 to 75% for ferripolyphosphatewhey protein complex. Thiobarbituric acid numbers increased slightly in iron fortified cheeses but were within the range reported by others for unfortified cheeses. Taste panel scores for oxidized off-flavor and cheese flavor varied markedly among judges. Correlation coefficients were low between iron level vs oxidized off-flavor, cheese flavor, or thiobarbituric acid number; and thiobarbituric acid number vs. oxidized offflavor or cheese flavor. Aging cheese up to 3 mo did not change thiobarbituric acid numbers or oxidized off-flavor and cheese flavor scores. Fortification with 40 gg Fe/g as Fe-casein did not affect oxidized off-flavor and cheese flavor scores and thiobarbituric acid number compared with unfortified cheese. Ferripolyphosphate whey protein complex, Fe-casein, and FeC13 are potential iron fortification sources for cheese.