Effects of cow, goat, and buffalo milk on the characteristics of cream cheese with whey retention

Although cow milk is the most widely used dairy product, the milk of other animals presents characteristics relevant to the development of these products. Goat milk has higher digestibility and a lower incidence of allergic reactions than cow milk, while buffalo milk has higher levels of lipids, proteins and lactose. The objective of this work was to elaborate and evaluate the physicochemical, technological, microbiological and sensory characteristics of cream cheese formulations elaborated with different proportions of cow, goat and buffalo milk without whey removal. The milk mixture was allowed to produce cream cheese with high levels of ashes and proteins, and despite the retention of the whey, no occurrence of syneresis was observed in the formulations. The formulation elaborated with 33.33% of each type of milk obtained the highest positive intent to purchase, the highest acceptability index for overall impression and the highest score for the flavor attribute. Considering the number of probiotic microorganisms present in the cream cheese composition, the developed product can be considered a functional food. It is possible to prepare cream cheese with different types of milk and whey retention, creating a competitive product for the market and an alternative for the industry.