LAUSR

Cheese is not only created using cow's milk and can also be made from a mixture of vegetable extracts, including corn extract. Cheese from corn extract has the advantages of low-fat and high-carotene. Notably, papain can be used as a coagulant in the production of cheese analogue, while maltodextrin functions to increase volume and total solids for greater yield. The objectives of the present study was 1) to optimize the formula composition between lime extract, papain, and maltodextrin to create a cheese analogue from sweet corn extract with high yield and protein as well as good sensory properties, 2) to study the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of the cheese analogue using the optimal formula, and 3) to compare analog cheese from corn milk to cow's milk cheese. The experimental design involved response surface methodology with three factors (lime extract, papain, and maltodextrin). The results of the study produced the optimal cheese analogue formula from corn extract with the addition of lime extract (2.283%), papain (0.022%), and maltodextrin (15%). The characteristics of this cheese analogue include a yield of 20.3%; pH of 5.4; 14Brix soluble solids; water content of 65.3%; protein content of 13.5%; total-carotene of 544.4 ppm and of fat content 4.6%. The cheese analogue has sensory characteristics of soft texture, the ability to spread evenly, the typical color of cheese (i.e. yellowish-white), and was preferred by panelists. Cheese analogue has protein content of 7.1%, fat content of 4.55%, total carotene of 544.4 mg/g, cholesterol 0.02 mg/g; while commercial cheese from cow’s milk has protein content 6.3%, fat content 24.53%, total carotene 5.32 mg/g and cholesterol 0.19 mg/g. Thus, sweet corn can potentially be used as a raw material for producing low-fat cheese analogues.