Manipulating calcium level provides a new approach for the manufacture of casein-based food structures with different functionalities

Casein-based food structures (58% moisture, 33% protein, 4% fat) with different calcium levels (37-1080 mg 100 g−1) were manufactured by heating at 80 °C under shear. At intermediate calcium levels (358-673 mg 100 g−1), homogeneous structures were formed without chelating salts (CS) after relatively short processing times. However, homogeneous structures with high (≥775 mg 100 g−1) or low (≤37 mg 100 g−1) calcium levels could not be produced without CS. On cooling, the CS-free matrices with intermediate calcium levels formed functional cheese-like structures, although with lower hardness, flow on melting and G′ values at 25 °C than conventionally formulated high-calcium structures made from rennet casein with CS. By reducing total calcium level, it is possible to produce hydrated, functional casein-based structures containing lipid without CS. Omitting CS provides potential to reduce the sodium content of processed cheese type-products by up to 60% and would allow clean label products.