Mirela Ilicic¹*, Spasenija Milanovic¹, Marijana Caric¹, Anamarija Mandic², Rade Popovic³

*Corresponding author

1. University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Technology, Bulevar Cara Lazara 1, Novi Sad. Serbia
2. University of Novi Sad, Institute of Food Technology, Novi Sad, Serbia
3. University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Economics of Subotica, Subotica, Serbia

Abstract

The effect of milk fat content  and different starter cultures  on cholesterol content and other nutrients characteristics of Quarg cheese was investigated in this study. Quarg samples were produced from  milk of  1.6%(w/w), 2.2%(w/w)  and 3.2%(w/w) fat content by using traditional culture or traditional culture in combination with probiotic starter culture in ratio 1:1. The sample produced from  milk with 1.6%(w/w) fat with traditional culture contained 26.18mg/100g of cholesterol, while the cholesterol content of the same sample produced from 3.2%(w/w) fat content was 57.46mg/100g. The cholesterol/fat ratio is maximum  in low fat Quarg (5.65) in contrast to Quarg from full fat milk (3.38), in which the fat/protein ratio is approx. two-fold higher, while the isocaloric value cholesterol/energy ranged from  249mg/1000 kcal to 274mg/1000 kcal.

INTRODUCTION

Fresh cheeses are unripened cheeses, manufactured by the coagulation of milk, cream or whey using acid, a combination of acid and rennet or a combination of acid and heat. Many processing factors (milk pre-heat treatment, rate and temperature of acidification, level of gel-forming protein, pH, etc.) influence the coagulum structure and hence the rheological and physico-chemical stability and nutritive value of the Quarg (1, 2, 3).

The cheese is the main source of animal fat and dietary cholesterol. Cholesterol is essential for membrane structure, and biosynthesis ... ...