Composition and Quality Attributes of Reduced‐Fat Cheese as Affected by Lecithin Type

Cheddar cheeses with 33% reduced‐fat content were prepared with granular soy lecithin, hydrogenated soy lecithin, or oat. Addition of lecithin increased the wet weight yields and moisture of cheeses (P≤0.05). Reflected color values (L* and h ab ) were increased in cheeses containing granular soy lecithin (P≤0.05). Acid values of cheeses with lecithin were higher than control cheeses (P≤0.05). Concentrations of lecithin at 0.2% (w/w) resulted in visible changes in micro‐structure of the cheeses. Granular soy lecithin or oat lecithin added to reduced‐fat cheeses resulted in a decrease in flavor quality (P≤0.05). Hydrogenated soy lecithin added to reduced‐fat cheeses improved texture quality without negatively affecting flavor quality.