The Texture of Commercial Full‐Fat and Reduced‐Fat Cheese

The effect of fat reduction on sensory texture and physical properties of commercially available natural and processed cheeses was investigated. The texture of 5 cheeses in full‐ and reduced‐fat versions was characterized by modified descriptive analysis and torsional fracture methods. Reduced‐fat cheeses were perceived to be more waxy, fracturable, chewy, hard, and springy and less sticky, cohesive, meltable, and smooth than full‐fat cheese. Full‐fat cheese had lower fracture stress values than the equivalent reduced‐fat products. Fracture strain values did not distinguish cheeses based on fat content. These results demonstrate general textural differences between the full‐fat and reduced fat versions of select cheeses.