Reduction in sodium content of fresh, semihard Tzfat cheese using salt replacer mixtures: taste, texture and shelf life evaluation

Tzfat cheese is a semihard, fresh cheese commonly produced in Israel, with an average sodium content of 1000mg/100g cheese. Reduction in sodium levels by 30% and 50% (w/w) with and without salt replacer mixtures was assessed in terms of cheese physicochemical, microbiological and sensory properties. Cheese, containing 30% KCl and 70% NaCl had the closest taste profile to the control cheese, according to electronic tongue analysis. All cheeses underwent a similar increase in extent of proteolysis and microbial growth during shelf life. This study demonstrates the possibility of reducing the sodium content in fresh, semihard cheeses like Tzfat cheese by more than 30% using salt replacer mixtures, without significantly affecting quality.