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Nutrition and Food Sciences, Utah State University, Logan 84322-8700
ABSTRACT
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 FeCl3, 52 to 53% for ferric citrate, 55 to 75% for Fe-casein complex, and 70 to 75% for ferripolyphosphate-whey 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 off-flavor 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 µg 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 FeCl3 are potential iron fortification sources for cheese.
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