Flavorful low-fat and reduced fat cheese

Abstract

The invention provides flavorful low-fat cheeses that are readily and inexpensively made from high-fat cheeses.

1 . A low-fat or reduced fat cheese made from full fat cheese, wherein the flavor intensity of the low-fat or reduced fat cheese is similar to the flavor intensity of the full fat cheese from which it was made.  
     
     
         2 . The low-fat or reduced fat cheese of  claim 1 , wherein the flavor intensity of the low-fat or reduced fat cheese is statistically identical to the flavor intensity of the full fat cheese from which it was made, as determined by panelists asked to compare the flavor intensity of the low-fat or reduced fat cheese with the full fat cheese.  
     
     
         3 . The low-fat or reduced fat cheese of  claim 1 , wherein the low-fat or reduced fat cheese is softer than the full fat cheese from which it is made.  
     
     
         4 . The low-fat or reduced fat cheese of  claim 1 , wherein the low-fat or reduced fat cheese is smoother than the full fat cheese from which it is made.  
     
     
         5 . The low-fat or reduced fat cheese of  claim 1 , wherein the low-fat or reduced fat cheese dissipates in the mouth more quickly than the full fat cheese from which it is made.  
     
     
         6 . The low-fat or reduced fat cheese of  claim 1 , wherein the low-fat or reduced fat cheese has 1% to 90% less fat than the full fat cheese.  
     
     
         7 . The low-fat or reduced fat cheese of  claim 1 , wherein the low-fat or reduced fat cheese has about 18% to about 65% less fat than the full fat cheese.  
     
     
         8 . The low-fat or reduced fat cheese of  claim 1 , wherein the percentage of moisture therein is higher than the percentage of moisture in the full fat cheese from which the low-fat or reduced fat cheese was made.  
     
     
         9 . The low-fat or reduced fat cheese of  claim 1 , wherein the percentage of protein therein is higher than the percentage of protein in the full fat cheese from which the low-fat or reduced fat cheese was made.  
     
     
         10 . The low-fat or reduced fat cheese of  claim 1 , wherein the proportions of each fatty acid type in the low-fat or reduced cheese and in the full fat cheese are similar, but not identical.  
     
     
         11 . The low-fat or reduced fat cheese of  claim 1  selected from the group consisting of American cheese, Cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, mozzarella cheese, Muenster cheese, and Swiss cheese.  
     
     
         12 . Low-fat Cheddar cheese or reduced fat Cheddar cheese, according to  claim 11 .  
     
     
         13 . A flavorful low-fat or reduced fat cheese made by a process which comprises: 
 (a) grinding or shredding a full fat cheese at a temperature of about 1° C. to about 15° C. to produce a ground or shredded cheese;    (b) warming the ground or shredded cheese to a temperature of about 20° C. to about 42° C. to produce a warmed cheese; and    (c) removing about 1% to about 90% of fat from the warmed cheese to generate a flavorful low-fat or reduced fat cheese.    
     
     
         14 . The flavorful low-fat or reduced fat cheese of  claim 13 , made by a process which further comprises adding water after the fat is removed.  
     
     
         15 . A flavorful low-fat or reduced fat cheese made by a process which comprises: 
 (a) grinding or shredding a full fat cheese at a temperature of about 1° C. to about 15° C. to produce a ground or shredded cheese;    (b) warming the ground or shredded cheese to a temperature of about 20° C. to about 42° C. to produce a warmed cheese; and    (c) removing about 1% to about 90% of fat from the warmed cheese to generate a flavorful low-fat or reduced fat cheese, wherein the percentage of protein in the low-fat or reduced fat cheese is higher than the percentage of protein in the full fat cheese from which the low-fat or reduced fat cheese was made.    
     
     
         16 . The flavorful low-fat or reduced fat cheese of  claim 15 , made by a process which further comprises adding water after the fat is removed.  
     
     
         17 . A flavorful low-fat or reduced fat cheese made by a process which comprises: 
 (a) grinding or shredding a full fat cheese at a temperature of about 1° C. to about 15° C. to produce a ground or shredded cheese;    (b) warming the ground or shredded cheese to a temperature of about 20° C. to about 42° C. to produce a warmed cheese; and    (c) removing about 1% to about 90% of fat from the warmed cheese to generate a flavorful low-fat or reduced fat cheese, wherein the percentage of moisture in the low-fat or reduced fat cheese is higher than the percentage of moisture in the full fat cheese from which the low-fat or reduced fat cheese was made.    
     
     
         18 . The flavorful low-fat or reduced fat cheese of  claim 17 , made by a process which further comprises adding water after the fat is removed.  
     
     
         19 . In a method of making a low-fat or reduced fat cheese, the improvement which comprises removing fat or butter oil from full fat cheese after the full fat cheese is aged.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the fatty acid composition of the butter oil removed from the aged full fat cheese is similar to, but not identical to, the fatty acid composition of milk fat.  
     
     
         21 . A method for making a flavorful low-fat or reduced fat cheese that comprises: 
 (a) grinding or shredding a full fat cheese at a temperature of about 1° C. to about 15° C. to produce a ground or shredded cheese;    (b) warming the ground or shredded cheese to a temperature of about 20° C. to about 42° C. to produce a warmed cheese; and    (c) removing about 1% to about 90% of fat from the warmed cheese to generate a flavorful low-fat or reduced fat cheese.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , which further comprises adding water after the fat is removed.