Abstract: The current invention provides an improved process for making a cheese product using transglutaminase. The method comprises the steps of providing a dairy liquid, crosslinking and curding the dairy liquid by adding an acidifying agent and a transglutaminase to the dairy liquid under conditions sufficient to crosslink at least a portion of proteins in the dairy liquid to provide both a curd comprising a crosslinked dairy liquid and a liquid whey, cutting and cooking the curd, separating the curd from the liquid whey, and collecting the curd. Many specific embodiments are provided. Additionally, the current invention provides a product made by the process. The cheese products, especially soft cheeses such cream cheese and cottage cheese, exhibit less syneresis than similar cheeses prepared by conventional methods.

Abstract: The present invention provides processes for making a stable cheese product supplemented with functionally enhanced whey protein. In a preferred embodiment of these methods, the cheese product is cream cheese. The added whey protein is functionally enhanced by exposing cheese curds or dairy liquids containing the whey protein to controlled heat treatment and/or treatment at high shear rates. The invention further provides a stable cheese product that is characteristic of a particular variety of cheese and that is supplemented with functionally enhanced whey protein. In a preferred embodiment, the supplemented cheese product is cream cheese.

Abstract: The current invention provides an improved process for making a cheese product using transglutaminase. The method comprises the steps of providing a dairy liquid, crosslinking and curding the dairy liquid by adding an acidifying agent and a transglutaminase to the dairy liquid under conditions sufficient to crosslink at least a portion of proteins in the dairy liquid to provide both a curd comprising a crosslinked dairy liquid and a liquid whey, cutting and cooking the curd, separating the curd from the liquid whey, and collecting the curd. Many specific embodiments are provided. Additionally, the current invention provides a product made by the process. The cheese products, especially soft cheeses such cream cheese and cottage cheese, exhibit less syneresis than similar cheeses prepared by conventional methods.

Abstract: The current invention includes a process for making cream cheese wherein nutrients typically lost as whey during processing are utilized in the final cream cheese; the resulting cream cheese has the body, texture, and taste of conventional cream cheese. The process of the current invention utilizes acidifying and cross-linking steps to process a dairy liquid into a wheyless cream cheese by utilizing the protein cross-linking activity of transglutaminase. The wheyless cream cheese does not require the addition of stabilizers and/or emulsifiers. Furthermore, the cream cheese that is formed is firmer than typical cream cheese and has significantly reduced syneresis.