Compositional and sensory differences of products of sweet-cream and whey buttermilk produced by microfiltration, diafiltration, and supercritical CO2

Abstract

The objectives of this work were to assess the compositional properties and sensory characteristics of ingredients produced by treating sweet-cream and whey-cream buttermilks with microfiltration (MF), diafiltration (DF), and supercritical CO2 (SFE) extraction. Sweet-cream buttermilk (CBM) and buttermilk resulting from churning the residual fat from whey processing (whey buttermilk, WBM) were used. Using MF or microfiltration followed by diafiltration (MF-DF), we obtained resulting retentates that were dried and then were subjected to SFE treatment. Control buttermilks, SFE resulting products, and MF and MF-DF SFE and all treated retentates products totaled 16 samples (2 types×4 treatments×2 batches). Eleven trained panelists assessed samples using descriptive analysis. Sweet-cream buttermilk was higher in protein and lactose, whereas the WBM had similar total protein, mainly β-LG and α-LA but very low lactose. The resulting samples in order of concentration for fat and lactose were control samples>SFE treated>MF treated>DF=MF-SFE and DF-SFE. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-PAGE protein profiling showed negligible casein for WBM versus CBM and less whey proteins for CBM versus WBM, as expected. Whey buttermilk was more yellow, salty, sour, and rancid than CBM. Regarding the treatments, significant differences were obtained on homogeneity, opacity, rancid odor, cardboard and sour flavors, sweet and salty tastes, viscosity, and mouthcoating, where SFE-treated samples showed lowest rancid odor and cardboard flavor.

Keywords: buttermilk; sensory; supercritical fluid extraction; whey.