Cheese-like dairy gels

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cheese-like dairy gel that includes a gum, a starch, and a dairy liquid, wherein the gel has the texture, consistency, and mouthfeel of a cheese. In particular embodiments of the dairy gel, it is essentially fat-free, and is chosen from among cottage cheese, ricotta, cream cheese, American cheese, processed cheese, Parmesan cheese, baker's cheese, cheddar, and Feta cheese. The gum may be an ionically neutral gum, such as konjac, or a microbial gum, gellan gum, or it may be an anionic gum, such as a carrageenan, Kappa-carrageenan, furcelleran, agar, alginate, and the like, or mixtures thereof. The starch, in certain embodiments of the invention, may be potato starch, tapioca starch, corn starch, rice starch, wheat starch, and the like, or mixtures thereof. The invention additionally provides a process for preparing a cheese-like dairy gel wherein the ingredients are blended, briefly heated, packaged, and cooled, or it may be cooled and extruded, sliced, diced, or shredded, then packaged. The invention avoids renneting, fermenting, or acidification that yields curds and whey liquid. It thus provides a simplified process and product which utilizes all the ingredients of the dairy liquid employed.