Microstructure of Feta Cheese Made Using Different Cultures as Determined by Confocal Scanning Laser Microscopy

Abstract

The objective of this work was to observe the microstructure of feta cheese using confocal scanning laser microscopy. Low fat cheese and cheese containing capsule-producing cultures were made. The protein network was observed using the reflectance mode of the confocal microscope. Fat was stained by Nile red dye diluted with whey. More even distribution of fat with a larger number of smaller globules was observed in cheese made with noncapsule-forming culture compared to that made with the capsule-forming culture. Nonfat cheese had compact structure when made with noncapsule-forming culture which contrasted with the open structure observed in cheese made with the capsule-forming culture

Lipid rafts in the bovine milk fat globule membrane revealed by the lateral segregation of phospholipids and heterogeneous distribution of glycoproteins

“…1). Our experiments support that Nile Red is a suitable dye for the localisation of hydrophobic lipids such as triacylglycerols by CLSM, as previously reported (Hassan, Frank, & Corredig, 2002;Lopez et al, 2007;Wendin, Langton, Caous, & Hall, 2000).…”

Use of an exopolysaccharide-producing strain of Streptococcus thermophilus in the manufacture of Mexican Panela cheese

“…Other than Mozzarella cheeses in which studies have been done with EPS producing cultures include Feta (Hassan, Frank, & Corredig, 2002) and Karish, an Egyptian acid-coagulated cheese (Hassan, Corredig, Frank, & Elsoda, 2004). Feta is more similar to Panela than other cheeses in which the use of EPS producing cultures has been studied, since it is soft, high in moisture and fat; Hassan et al (2002) reported that the use of an exopolysaccharide slowacid-producing St. thermophilus strain resulted in the formation of large pores and fat globules in low fat Feta cheese.…”

Textural and functional changes in low-fat Mozzarella cheeses in relation to proteolysis and microstructure as influenced by the use of fat replacers, pre-acidification and EPS starter

“…Microscopic observations are, however, limited by the resolution that can be achieved and therefore images can only be viewed at relatively low magnifications. Confocal microscopy has been used to study microstructure of dairy products by several authors (Auty, Twomey, Guinee, & Mulvihill, 2001;Hassan, Frank, & Corredig, 2002;Hassan, Frank, Farmer, Schmidt, & Shalabi, 1995).…”