Utilization of retentates for white brined cheese production: comparative evaluation of physico-chemical and sensory properties

The aim of the present study is (1) to enhance the protein fraction in cheese milk through membrane filtration and consequently (2) to separate the majority of whey as ‘ideal whey’ prior to the production of white brined cheese, and (3) to explore the potential utilization of retentates in the production of white brined cheese. The chemical, physical, textural and sensory properties of cheeses produced from microfiltration (MF) retentates were characterized to investigate the effects of cross-flow MF on white brined cheese. Polyether sulfone (MP005) membranes featuring a pore diameter of 0.05 μm and polyvinylidene fluoride (MV020) membranes with a pore diameter of 0.20 μm were utilized. The assessed quality parameters of cheeses derived from polyethersulfone membrane (MP005) retentates were similar to the control (p > 0.05), whereas the cheese obtained from polyvinylidene fluoride membrane (MV020) retentates exhibited notable differences (p < 0.05) from the control. The traditional whey generated after cheese-making, which typically requires substantial on-site processing and/or treatment, was reduced by 3.5–6.7 times using the MP005 retentates. Simultaneously, 58–70% of the cheese milk (w/w) was separated as ideal whey before the cheese-making process. MF shows potential as an eco-friendly technology suitable for use in cheese production processes. The potential utilization of MP005 for enriching the protein content in cheese milk holds promise for white cheese production.