Can plant-based cheese substitutes nutritionally and sensorially replace cheese in our diet?

Čanžek Majhenič, Andreja (author), Levart, Alenka (author), Salobir, Janez (author), Prevc, Tina (author), Pajk Žontar, Tanja (author)

Plant-based substitutes for dairy products represent a rapidly developing market worldwide as they become increasingly popular with consumers. This study aimed to determine the nutritional and sensory quality of ten plant-based cheese substitutes labelled ‘classic’/‘original’ purchased on the Slovenian market. The quality was checked using chemical and sensory analysis. When the results of chemical analysis were compared with the nutritional composition of a semi-hard type of cheese, the plant-based cheese substitutes differed greatly. On average, they contained 60 times less protein, 8 times less calcium and 50% more salt per 100 g of product. Considering median values, plant-based substitutes had 200 times less protein, 40 times less calcium, and 58% more salt compared to cheeses. The fatty acid composition was less favourable when compared to a regular semi-hard type of cheese: 50% more saturated fatty acids, almost five times less monounsaturated fatty acids, and only one third of the polyunsaturated fatty acids per 100 g of product, respectively, but no trans fatty acids. Despite some sensory deficiencies (absence of eyes; crumbly, granular, and tough texture; discordant, fatty, and salty taste; foreign odour and pale colour), the sensory quality in this product category was acceptable overall. More research should be conducted in this area to minimise the knowledge gaps in the nutritional composition and sensory quality of plant-based cheese substitutes.

• Language: English
• Keywords: dairy substitute, plant-based cheese, fatty acid composition, sensory quality, nutritional value
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: 17 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 17, iss. 5, art. 771
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-168041
• UDC: 637.38:641.1:543.2/.9
• ISSN on article: 2304-8158
• DOI: 10.3390/foods14050771
• COBISS.SI-ID: 227196163
• Publication date in RUL: 26.03.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Foods
• Shortened title: Foods
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 2304-8158
• COBISS.SI-ID: 512252472

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: živila, rastlinski nadomestki sira, senzorične lastnosti, prehranska vrednost, maščobnokislinska sestava