Polyphenolic compounds as functional ingredients in cheese

A functional cheese product containing polyphenolic compounds was developed, and the polyphenolic retention efficiency and antioxidant property of the product evaluated. Single phenolic compounds, including catechin, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), tannic acid, homovanillic acid, hesperetin and flavones, and natural crude compounds, such as grape extract, green tea extract, and dehydrated cranberry powder, were added as functional ingredients to the prepared cheese. They evidenced different levels of retention in the cheese curds which varied widely in terms of their effects on gel-formation behaviours, depending on their molecular properties and their hydrophobicity was particularly relevant. Cheese curds with polyphenolic compounds at a concentration of 0.5 mg/mL showed effective free radical-scavenging activity. The nutritional value of cheese product was improved by adding bioactive phenolic compounds to the cheese curd. These results suggest that we may apply this approach to other dairy products for better quality and functionality of the products. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.