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Journal homepage: www.fia.usv.ro/fiajournal 
Journal of Faculty of Food Engineering,  

Ştefan cel Mare University of Suceava, Romania  
Volume XIII, Issue 1  – 2014, pag.  74 - 79  

 

 
VEG ETA BLE FA TS INFLU EN CE ON THE PHY S I CO -CH EMI CAL A ND 

SENS OR IAL PROPER TIE S OF “ TEL EM EA” CH EESE  

 
*Mircea OROIAN1, Ana LEAHU1 

 
1Faculty of Food Engineering, Stefan cel Mare University of Suceava, Romania 

 m.oroian@fia.usv.ro 
*Corresponding author 

Received 17th February, accepted 24th March 2014 
 

 
Abstract: The aim of this paper is to study the influence of the milk fat substitution with vegetable fats 
into the “Telemea” cheese, a Romanian traditional cheese. The milk fat was substitute with vegetable 
fats in two percentages (50 % and 75%). The three samples have been made at industrial scale and 
their properties have been analysed from physicochemical (acidity, pH, fat, fat acidity) and sensorial 
properties: texture (consistency, compactness, firmness, cohesiveness, creaminess, gumminess and 
cheese severity), the taste (sweet, bitter, salty and sour), colour, smell, the exterior aspect and the 
section aspect.  The vegetable fats are rich in vitamin E and carotenoids, vitamin A precursors; the 
three class of substances being natural antioxidants, which protect the organism from the free radical 
actions. The vegetable fats are the most stables fats used in food industry, keeping their properties for 
a greater time. The addition of vegetable fats to the “Telemea” cheese do not change noticeable the 
values of the physicochemical and sensorial properties of cheese.  
 
Keywords: milk, vegetable fats, substitution physicochemical, sensorial properties
 
 
1. Introduction 
 
The “Telemea” cheese is a type of cheese 
fermented into brine. Cheese is a 
concentrated source of nutrients that come 
from milk used in it manufacture. The 
main nutrients are represented by milk 
casein, minerals, lipids and fat-soluble 
vitamins.   
“Telemea” cheese is a nutritious and 
versatile food that can play an important 
role because it is a balanced nutritional 
food. Actually this cheese is a product that 
is "popular" because of its positive and 
healthy image appreciated by consumers as 
having beneficial effects on health. This 
cheese, in many ways, it is an ideal food: 
nutritional flexible in use and application, 
the touch is appreciated by a large number 
of consumers. The product is reducing the  
 

 
 
 
 
illness risk, and it is considered relatively 
safe.  
The cheese is an unfermented or fermented 
products formed, in principal consisting 
casein which forms a protein matrix where 
are embedded fats, lactose, mineral salts 
and vitamins [1].  
Nowadays there is a growing tendency to 
consume low-fat cheeses around the word.  
Despite the known benefits for human 
health, the reduction of the lipid content 
has a negative effect on the sensory 
characteristics of food products. 
Consequently, some strategies can be used 
in the cheese-making process in order to 
improve the texture of low fat cheeses, 
being one example the addition  of 
microparticulated whey proteins as fat 
replacers [2].  



Food and Environment Safety - Journal of Faculty of Food Engineering, Ştefan cel Mare University - Suceava 
Volume XIII, Issue 1 – 2014 

 

 
M ir ce a  O RO I AN , Ana L E A H U,  Ve g et ab l e f at s i n f lu e nc e  on  t he  ph y s i c o- ch e m i c al  a nd  s e ns o ri a l  
p r o pe r t i e s  o f  “ Te l em e a ” ch e e s e,  Issue 1 - 2014, pag. 74 – 79 
 

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The contribution of the fat replacer to 
improve the textural and functional 
properties of cheeses, however, varies. 
Such compounds can be derived from 
carbohydrate, protein, lipid and synthetic 
chemical groups.  
The use of  carbohydrate based fat 
replacers in foods is of particular interest 
as they appear to closely impart the desired 
effects lost after the removal of fat. 
This occurs due to the bulking effect 
associated with moisture retention [3,4]. 
Sensory evaluation is one means of 
measuring and quantifying the relationship 
between the sensory characteristics of food 
and its consumer  references. Techniques 
such as descriptive sensory analysis, 
cluster analysis and external preference 
mapping have been applied to cheese 
study. Descriptive sensory analysis is a 
research tool to characterize the aromas 
and flavors in cheese [5,6]. 
The aim of this study is to find the 
influence of the milk fat substitution with 
vegetal fats for the production of 
“Telemea” cheese by physicochemical a 
sensorial point of view. 
 

2. Materials and methods 
 
2.1. Materials 
 

Milk, vegetable fats, Streptococcus 
termophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus 
lactic bacteria, Purac 80 from Enzymes and 
Derivates, Piatra Neamt, Romania.  NaOH, 
sulphuric acid, izoamilic acid reagents for 
purchased from Sigma Aldrich 

 
2.2. Experimental 
 

The samples have been prepared as 
follows: Sample A – blanck sample made 
using milk, Sample B – sample with 50% 
milk fat and 50% vegetable fats, and 
Sample C – 25 % milk fat and 75 % 
vegetable fats. 

2.3. Cheese preparation 
 

The milk was pasteurized at 72 C for 20-
30 minutes, after it was added the lactic 
acid (Purac 80) and lactic bacteria 
(Streptococcus termophilus and 
Lactobacillus bulgaricus). 
The coagulation process has been made 
into coagulation tub using CHI-MAX 
rennet. The mix is kept for 30-40 minutes 
into the tub. After the coagulation takes 
place, the curd is divided into pieces. 
 

2.4. Physicochemical determinations 
 

The fat content has been measured using 
ISO 1211/FIL 1:2010 method [7], the 
moisture content has been determined 
using the oven method, the acidity was 
measured using an titrimetric method (with 
0.1 n NaOH), the fat acidity index was 
measured using a titrimetric method (with 
0.1 n NaOH), the pH was measured using a 
pH meter,  
 

2.5. Sensorial analysis 
 

The sensorial analysis is the only method 
used for appreciate the quality of 
“Telemea” cheese. The three samples have 
been analysed by 5 tasters. 
The method used for the sensorial analysis 
consisted into unitary point scale. The 
sensorial properties analysed were: texture 
(consistency, compactness, firmness, 
cohesiveness, creaminess, gumosity and 
cheese severity), the taste (sweet, bitter, 
salty and sour), smell, the exterior aspect 
and the section aspect. 
 

2.6. Statistical analysis 
 

The statistical analysis was made using the 
next software packs: Excel 2007. The 
variables were weighted with the inverse 
of the standard deviation of all objects in 



Food and Environment Safety - Journal of Faculty of Food Engineering, Ştefan cel Mare University - Suceava 
Volume XIII, Issue 1 – 2014 

 

 
M ir ce a  O RO I AN , Ana L E A H U,  Ve g et ab l e f at s i n f lu e nc e  on  t he  ph y s i c o- ch e m i c al  a nd  s e ns o ri a l  
p r o pe r t i e s  o f  “ Te l em e a ” ch e e s e,  Issue 1 - 2014, pag. 74 – 79 
 

76 
 

order to compensate for the different scales 
of the variables. 

 
3. Results and discussions 
 

In table 1 are presented the 
physicochemical parameters analysed for 
the milk and for the three “Telemea” 
cheese products made. Comparing to the 
parameters of the milk used for the cheese 
production, cheese parameters have not 
suffered noticeable modifications. 
 

Table1.  
Physicochemical parameters of milk and 

“Telemea” cheese 
 

 pH Acidity 
(°T) 

Fat 
(%) 

Fat 
acidity 
mg 
KOH/g 

Milk 6.57 15 3.2 11.2 
Sample A 5.10 170 42.8 14.5 
Sample B 5.23 180 42.4 13.4 
Sample C 5.26 170 42.2 14.5 

 
As shown in the table above, all the 
parameters have not changed noticeable 
after the cheese processes occurred. The 
few changes were made to the parameter 
values indicating acidity (pH, acidity) 
changes due to the activity of lactic acid 
bacteria starter cultures who consumed 
milk lactose turning it into lactic acid, thus 

decreasing pH and increases acidity within 
certain limits. 
Different additives applied to samples of 
“Telemea” cheese influenced fermentative 
processes, but and the proteolysis, 
lipolysis, fermentation, protein 
coagulation, without changes in the 
physicochemical and sensorial properties 
of the product. 
Regarding pH changes, for each sample 
analysed, decreases with the increasing of 
the acidity due to the metabolism of lactic 
acid by the bacteria from selected cultures. 
The decrease of pH was due to the effects 
of additives on the metabolism of lactic 
acid bacteria present in the starter culture 
which was inoculated into the milk. 
The acid value of the fat is an indicator of 
lipolysis, a greater acid number would 
indicate a high amount of free fatty acids 
in the final product, so a higher degree of 
glyciredes dissociation under the influence 
of the lipolytic enzymes present in the 
product.  
The taste, colour, consistency, flavour, 
whey elimination and section aspect of the 
three samples analyzed into the table 2. 
The taste of the cheese have not changed 
due to the substitution of the milk fat with 
vegetable fat, the taste is corresponding to 
the cheese. 

 
Table 2.  

Taste, colour, consistency, whey elimination and section aspect  
of the three samples of ‘Telemea” cheese 

 
 Taste Colour Consistency Flavour Whey 

elimination 
Section 
aspect 

Sample A Good, 
Specific to 
cheese from 
cow milk 

White Firm, is 
breaking easy 
without 
shatters 

Good Without 
whey 

Uniform 

Sample B Good White-
yellow 

Compact, 
elastic 

Good Without 
whey 

With random 
holes 

Sample C Good, salty White-
yellow 

Firm, is 
breaking easy 
without 
shatters 

Good Without 
whey 

Uniform with 
random holes 



Food and Environment Safety - Journal of Faculty of Food Engineering, Ştefan cel Mare University - Suceava 
Volume XIII, Issue 1 – 2014 

 

 
M ir ce a  O RO I AN , Ana L E A H U,  Ve g et ab l e f at s i n f lu e nc e  on  t he  ph y s i c o- ch e m i c al  a nd  s e ns o ri a l  
p r o pe r t i e s  o f  “ Te l em e a ” ch e e s e,  Issue 1 - 2014, pag. 74 – 79 
 

77 
 

 
Regarding to the colour of the samples, it 
seems that the substation of the fat is 
change the colour, appearing yellow tones. 
The yellow tones come from the yellow 
pigments presented into the vegetable fats. 
The consistency is firm, compact, without 
shatters, the flavour is characteristics, 
neither one of the samples present whey 

elimination, while the section aspect is 
uniform, just the samples with vegetable 
fats present random holes.  
In the table 3 are presented the 
consistency, compactness, firmness, 
cohesiveness, creaminess, guminess and 
cheese severity of the “Telemea” cheese 
samples.

 
Table 3.  

Consistency, compactness, firmness, cohesiveness, creaminess, guminess and cheese severity of the 
“Telemea” cheese samples 

 
Sample Consistency Compactness Firmness Cohesiveness Creaminess Guminess Cheese 

severity 
A 24.0 16 14.4 8.8 8.2 2.6 2.2 
B 26.4 18.4 12 8.8 7.4 2.2 2.2 
C 24.0 14.4 13.2 9.2 7.0 2.6 2.4 

 
It cannot be observed differences 
according to the degree of substitution of 
the milk fat with vegetable fats between 
the consistency, compactness, firmness, 
cohesiveness, guminess and cheese 
severity of the “Telemea” samples.  

In the figure 1 is presented the radial 
representation of consistency, 
compactness, firmness, cohesiveness, 
guminess and cheese severity of the 
“Telemea” samples.  

 

 
Fig.1. Radial representation of consistency, compactness, firmness, cohesiveness, creaminess, guminess 

and cheese severity of the “Telemea” cheese samples  
A- Sample A, B- Sample B, C- Sample C



Food and Environment Safety - Journal of Faculty of Food Engineering, Ştefan cel Mare University - Suceava 
Volume XIII, Issue 1 – 2014 

 

 
M ir ce a  O RO I AN , Ana L E A H U,  Ve g et ab l e f at s i n f lu e nc e  on  t he  ph y s i c o- ch e m i c al  a nd  s e ns o ri a l  
p r o pe r t i e s  o f  “ Te l em e a ” ch e e s e,  Issue 1 - 2014, pag. 74 – 79 
 

78 
 

For the gustatory evaluation we used the 
method of characteristics profile that 
includes a number of shades which states 
taste intensity using the following scale:  
0 - not noticeable, 1 - to be significant  
2 - Moderately perceptible 3 - Strong 
noticeable.  
The five panelists tried successively three 
samples of “Telemea” cheese, so 
specifying the intensity of each sensation 
(components) taste: sweet, bitter, sour, 
salty using the scale of 0-3; the results are 
presented in Table 4. 
 

Table 4.   
Gustatory properties of “Telemea” cheese 

 
Sample Sweet Bitter Sour Salty 
A 1 1 1.4 2.8 
B 0.8 1 1.2 2.4 
C 1.2 1 1.4 2.4 

 
The sweet, bitter, sour and salty scores of 
the “Telemea” cheese do not change 
noticeable. In figure 2 is presented the 
radial representation of the scores for 
sweet, bitter, sour and salty. 

 
 

Fig.2. Radial representation of the “Telemea” 
cheese gustatory properties,  

A- Sample A, B- Sample B, C- Sample C 
 
 

The odor characteristic of the “Telemea” 
cheese is of lactic fermentation and 
diacetyl flavor. In evaluating the odor and 
flavor of the cheese was used the  rank 
ordering method which consists of: 
classifying samples by the intensity of the 
sensory characteristics, each taster 
evaluates the samples placed in an order 
determined performing a preliminary 
classification; all the results are processed 
in the same time. The smell and aroma 
scores of the “Telemea” cheese are 
presented in the table 5. 

Table 5.  
Smell and aroma of “Telemea” cheese 

 
Sample Smell and taste 

A 2.6 
B 2.6 
C 2.2 

 
The substitution of the milk fat with 
vegetable fats does not influence the smell 
and aroma scores. In the case of the 
samples with 50% milk fat and 50% 
vegetable fats the smell and the taste 
obtains a lower score. 
In the figure 3 is presented the radial 
representation of the smell and aroma of 
“Telemea” cheese. 

 
Fig. 3. Radial representation of smell and aroma 

of “Telemea” cheese  
A- Sample A, B- Sample B, C- Sample C 

 
To assess the exterior aspect of the 
“Telemea” Cheese it was used the rank 



Food and Environment Safety - Journal of Faculty of Food Engineering, Ştefan cel Mare University - Suceava 
Volume XIII, Issue 1 – 2014 

 

 
M ir ce a  O RO I AN , Ana L E A H U,  Ve g et ab l e f at s i n f lu e nc e  on  t he  ph y s i c o- ch e m i c al  a nd  s e ns o ri a l  
p r o pe r t i e s  o f  “ Te l em e a ” ch e e s e,  Issue 1 - 2014, pag. 74 – 79 
 

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ordering method. The results are presented 
into table 6.  

Table 6.  
Exterior aspect of “Telemea” cheese 

Sample Exterior aspect 
A 2.6 
B 2.6 
C 2.2 

 
Just in the case of the sample with 25% 
milk fat and 75% vegetable fats has a 
lower score for the exterior aspect.  
 
4. Conclusions 
 
The influence of substitution of milk fats 
with vegetable fats for the production of 
“Telemea” cheese can be considered a 
good for its production. The 
physicochemical parameters of the three 
samples do not change noticeable with the 
degree of substitution. The samples 
maintained the same physicochemical 
parameters. From the sensorial points of 
view, the five tasters do not felt high 
differences between the samples. In 
conclusions the “Telemea” cheese obtained 
with vegetable fats presents the same 
properties like the authentic one.  
 

5. References 
 
[1] BANU, C., Milk industrial processing, Ed. 

Tehnica, Bucharest, (1998) 
[2] ZISU, B., SHAH, N. P., 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, International 
Dairy Journal, 15, 957-972, (2005) 

[3] FENNEMA, O. R., Food chemistry (3 ed.). 
New York: Marcel Dekker, Inc., (1996) 

[4] MEZA, B. E., VERDINI, R. A., RUBIOLO, A. 
C., Temperature dependency of linear 
viscoelastic properties of a commercial low-fat 
soft cheese after frozen storage, Journal of 
Food Engineering, 109, 475-481, (2012) 

[5] DRAKE, M. A., McINGVALE, S., GERARD, 
P. D., CADWALLADER, K. R., CIVILE, G. 
V. Development of a descriptive language for 
cheddar cheese. Journal of Food Science, 66, 
1422–1427, (2001) 

[6] Zhang, X. Y., Guo, H. Y., Zhao, L., Sun, W. F., 
Zeng, S. S., Lu, X. M., Cao, X., Ren, F. Z., 
Sensory profile and Beijing youth preference 
of seven cheese varieties, Food Quality and 
Preference, 22, 101-109, (2011) 

[7] ISO 1211/FIL 1:2010, Milk, fat content 
determination