Posted on 01/20/2025 1:11:17 PM PST by Red Badger
In a nutshell
* Scientists have developed a plant-based cheese using a specific pea protein and oil blend (25% coconut oil, 75% sunflower oil) that matches the texture and melting properties of dairy cheese while containing less saturated fat.
* The breakthrough challenges the common belief that high saturated fat content is necessary for proper cheese texture, as the new formulation achieved similar firmness (80 Newtons) to versions made with 100% coconut oil.
* The research demonstrates that carefully selected plant proteins can create healthier cheese alternatives without sacrificing the stretchy, melty qualities consumers expect, potentially revolutionizing the plant-based dairy industry.
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GUELPH, Ontario — The older you get, the more likely you’ll becoming lactose intolerant. This leaves cheese-loving adults with two options: give up the cheddar for good or find another dairy alternative. Plant-based cheeses exist, but are not a popular option because they lack the creamy texture of the real thing. Now, scientists may be on the brink of taking vegan cheeses to the next level.
Chemists are working to create plant-based cheeses with the same functional properties as traditional cheese, such as melt, stretch, and texture. In a recent study published in Physics of Fluids, Canadian researchers explored how plant-based proteins interact with fat to improve texture and functionality, potentially offering a healthier and more sustainable alternative to dairy.
“If you wanted to strictly only eat plant-based products, you would end up eating a lot of beans and tofu, which can be little bit boring after a while,” says Alejandro Marangoni, a professor of food science at the University of Guelph in Canada and senior study author, in a statement. “Now, consumers expect essentially the same animal product but with plant-based ingredients, which is very difficult.”
Food chemists worked to create the same texture as other cheeses, which meant studying how these dairy products react when melted, stretched, and cooked in oil. “The behavior of milk proteins and meat proteins is reasonably well understood, but knowledge about the functionality of plant proteins is lacking,” Marangoni explains. “There is also a huge variety of different plant proteins, each one very different from one another.”
Previous research on vegan cheeses showed a mixture of 25% coconut oil, 75% sunflower oil, and a specific pea protein isolate (PP1) made a texture similar to real cheeses. In this study, the authors examined how proteins taken from lentils, faba bean, and a specific type of pea protein react to oil and the starch matrix of cheese alternatives.
Raising the coconut oil concentration made the cheeses harder. However, cheese made from pea protein and 25% coconut oil had the firmest texture. The mixtures resembled or surpassed melt, oil loss, and stretching properties of vegan cheese made with 100% coconut oil. According to the authors, the blend of pea protein and coconut oil made cheeses harder thanks to the unique protein-fat interactions.
To decrease the saturated fat levels of vegan cheeses, researchers tested whether plant-based proteins would work effectively with a sunflower and coconut oil mix. This blend offers a lower-fat alternative while maintaining key functional properties of cheese.
Most surprisingly, the researchers found that this reduced-saturated-fat version maintained a firmness of 80 Newtons, nearly matching the 100 Newtons achieved with full coconut oil content. This discovery suggests that high levels of saturated fat aren’t necessary for proper cheese structure, as long thought.
“Ultimately we want to improve the nutrition, increase the protein content, and lower the saturated fat content of cheese alternatives,” Marangoni says. “But keeping all the functionality in there, which includes the melt and the stretch of the ‘cheese,’ is very difficult.”
By demonstrating that plant proteins can be leveraged to create better-performing products with healthier fat profiles, the study opens new possibilities for the entire plant-based food industry. This could lead to a new generation of products that better satisfy both nutritional and sensory expectations. With this new understanding of protein-fat interactions, manufacturers can potentially create plant-based cheeses that not only taste better but also contribute to reduced environmental impact and improved public health.
Paper Summary
Methodology
The research team created various cheese formulations using different plant proteins at 7.5% concentration, combined with varying ratios of coconut and sunflower oils. They subjected these samples to multiple tests, including texture profile analysis, melt tests, and sophisticated imaging techniques. Each formulation underwent rigorous examination using a combination of standard food science methods and advanced analytical tools.
Results
The study found that pea protein PP1 performed exceptionally well, maintaining desired texture properties even with reduced saturated fat content. The cheese made with PP1 and 25% coconut oil achieved similar hardness to versions with 100% coconut oil, while showing improved melt and stretch characteristics. Other proteins showed varying degrees of success, with some excelling in specific properties but not matching PP1’s overall performance.
Limitations
The research focused primarily on physical properties and didn’t include extensive sensory evaluation or long-term stability testing. Additionally, the study was conducted under laboratory conditions, and scale-up to commercial production might present additional challenges not addressed in this research.
Discussion and Takeaways
The findings suggest that careful selection of plant proteins and fat blends can significantly improve plant-based cheese quality while reducing saturated fat content. This research provides a foundation for developing healthier, more sustainable cheese alternatives that better meet consumer expectations for taste and functionality.
Funding and Disclosures
The research was funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and Daiya Foods Inc. The synchrotron-based micro-computed tomography research was performed at the Canadian Light Source, supported by various Canadian research institutions and government agencies.
Publication Information
Published in Physics of Fluids (Volume 37, 011913, 2025) under the title “Impact of protein sources on the functionality of plant-based cheeses formulated with saturated and unsaturated fat” by Cameryn Sanders, Jarvis A. Stobbs, Stacie Dobson, and Alejandro G. Marangoni from the University of Guelph and Canadian Light Source Inc.
First they came for the meat!
Now they’re coming for the CHEESE!.................
Sounds disgusting.
What future condemnable chemical did they use to accomplish this?
for T2s, cauliflower can make a reasonable substitute for mashed potatoes...
No thanks. I like real cheese. Not coagulated sunflower oil glop.
Vegan Cheese? Sacrilege!
I love this disclaimer:
The research focused primarily on physical properties and didn’t include extensive sensory evaluation or long-term stability testing. Additionally, the study was conducted under laboratory conditions, and scale-up to commercial production might present additional challenges not addressed in this research.
Can you say, “Frankenfood”?
Sure, but are they experts?
Nonsense.
They acknowledge it’s nonsense writing:
“ The research focused primarily on physical properties and didn’t include extensive sensory evaluation or long-term stability testing. Additionally, the study was conducted under laboratory conditions, and scale-up to commercial production might present additional challenges not addressed in this research.”
I ate a slice of pizza with vegan cheese. I’d rather starve than eat it again.
IOW, they didn’t taste it................
Yeah.
Soylent Orange. Doesn’t matter what it tastes like. You will eat it to save the planet.
and China makes great tasting eggs from chemical waste. Order up!
We’re going to need to keep Laz off this thread somehow.
I asked one and she got pissed.
😂😁..........................
Girl Vegan: I’m a Vegan.
Me: Great, I’m a Floridian. Want to go out for a Cheeseburger?.............
WHo moved my cheese? Seriously JFK Jr ought to have a coronary over this nonsense. What is the rationale other than cow farts? Could use some global climate change today. It’s cold.
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