Comparative study of processed cheese produced from sheep and cow milk

Sheep milk as an excellent source of nutrients was used to produce functional sheep processed cheese; as well as their chemical, physical, and sensorial properties compared to cow processed cheese were investigated. Chemical analysis showed that relative casein and fatty acid content of sheep processed cheese were higher than cow processed cheese, whereas 10-pentadecanoic, arachidonic, gadoleic, vaccenic, and behenic fatty acids were not found in cow processed cheese. All physical parameters of sheep processed cheese were higher than cow processed cheese during their storage period. Also, sheep processed cheese color gained higher values of whiteness degree than cow processed cheese. Moreover, sheep milk positively affected all sensorial properties of sheep processed cheese compared to cow processed cheese. It could be concluded that the sheep processed cheese is a novel functional dairy product with high nutritional value, stability, and easy to marketing suitable for elders and children. Practical applications Sheep milk is an excellent source of nutrients such as proteins, vitamins, and minerals which mainly contributed to increase the cheese yield. It was used to produce sheep processed cheese with high nutritional value and stability suitable for elders and children as an attempt to provide the Egyptian market with different functional cheese varieties. In addition, use of sheep milk in the preparation of processed cheese mainly encourages to increase the sheep milk production and conversion to dairy product, which is easy for marketing. Thus, in the present study, the chemical, physical, and sensorial properties of sheep processed cheese were compared to cow processed cheese.

Automated summary

Sheep processed cheese, produced from sheep milk, showed higher levels of casein and fatty acids, better physical parameters, and improved sensory properties compared to cow processed cheese. This novel functional dairy product is suitable for elders and children, providing high nutritional value and easy marketing potential.