Enrichment of model-cheeses with blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum) or cornelian cherry (Cornus mas) increases the total amount of polyphenols

Blackcurrant (BC) and cornelian cherry (CC) are rich sources of polyphenols. These berries are currently used to produce a variety of traditional food products, however, they have yet to be used in dairy products. Dairy products only have small amounts of phenolic compounds, and since these molecules have high antioxidant activity, addition of polyphenols to dairy could improve their functional properties. The objective of the present study was to produce fresh model cheeses from pasteurized cow milk, fortified with BC and CC, in order to evaluate the total amount of phenolic compounds as well as their physicochemical properties, antioxidant activities, sensory and microbial characteristics. Materials & Methods: Model cheese was constructed using pasteurized cow milk with commercial microbial starter and rennet and enriched with varying concentrations of BC or CC (0.3 – 0.6 % wt/milk volume) and matured for 4 weeks. BC and CC were purchased from a certified organic and a conventional producer and were tested as either freeze-dried or not to test if any difference could be associated to the type of production and the preparation of ingredients prior to cheese enrichment. The concentration of total polyphenols in the cheeses was measured as the Gallic acid equivalent using the Folin-Ciocalteu reaction. The experimental cheeses were evaluated for their sensory characteristics by means of a blind untrained panel; the microbial community was examined by plate counts of lactic acid bacteria and coliforms. Results: The total phenolic content increased with the addition of BC and CC. We observed that the addition of BC and CC lowered the appearance score of the cheese, whereas taste, smell and texture were no different compared to control. The microbial community found in the cheeses did not differ significantly for either lactic acid bacteria or coliforms. Conclusion: Overall, the addition of BC or CC shows potential as phenolic supplements for dairy products. Further Research: In progress are analysis on antioxidant activities and testing with additional herbs and berries. The best solutions will be scaled up for a cheese factory production