High voltage pre-treatment on cheddar cheese for model cheese feed preparation

The growing consumer demand for clean label food products has led to the search for alternatives to calcium-chelating salts in cheese powder production. Pulsed electric field (PEF) technology presents a promising green processing approach with its ability to disrupt casein networks. This study investigated the impact of PEF treatment on Cheddar cheese properties and the resulting model cheese emulsion. Response surface methodology revealed that pulse repetition and electric field strength are the primary parameters influencing the solubilization of calcium and phosphorus from the cheese matrix. Texture profile analysis indicated a notable reduction in cheese hardness with the application of PEF. Despite the significant impact of PEF on cheese structure, our study found no substantial alterations in the emulsion stability of cheeses treated with the applied PEF parameters. These promising results highlight the need for further exploration of alternative PEF parameters, such as different waveforms (i.e. exponential) or shorter pulse durations (nanoseconds), to unlock the full potential of PEF for clean label cheese powder production.