Increasing attention is being devoted to the development of functional foods enriched with important micronutrients. The aim of this master's thesis was to develop a semi-hard Edam-type cheese with reduced fat content and added vitamin D3, and to evaluate the stability of the added vitamin over time. Two cheese variants fortified with vitamin D3 were produced, containing 40 % and 45 % fat in dry matter (FDM). The chemical composition, vitamin D3 content, and sensory properties of the cheeses were monitored at different time points throughout the study. Chemical analyses showed that, through appropriate milk standardization, it was possible to produce a reduced-fat cheese, while the reduction in fat content was accompanied by a higher protein content. The vitamin D3 content remained stable in both cheese variants and was close to the expected value of 4,2 μg/100 g. Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences in vitamin D3 content across the different time points (p > 0,05). Sensory evaluation showed that the semi-hard cheese with reduced fat content and added vitamin D3 was sensorially acceptable. The results demonstrated that a reduced-fat semi-hard cheese fortified with vitamin D3 could be successfully produced while maintaining vitamin stability throughout the product's shelf life.
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