Cholesterol Reduction in Milk/Queso Blanco Cheese via β-Cyclodextrin

Since milk and its products raise the risk of cardiovascular disease, there has been an annual growth in the demand for low-cholesterol dairy products. Therefore, this study focuses on developing Queso Blanco cheese by treating prepared bovine milk with beta-cyclodextrin (β-CD). An HPLC analysis of treated bovine milk (TBM) and untreated bovine milk (UBM) showed a considerable reduction in cholesterol from 2.37 mg/100g to 1.13 mg/100g, with a reduction ratio of 52.32%. Experimental bovine milk (EBM) and control bovine milk (CBM) did not differ substantially (p<0.05) in physical characteristics, including pH, acidity, and viscosity, suggesting that β-CD treatment did not negatively impact these attributes. Experimental Queso Blanco cheese (QEC) was made with CBM, and control cheese (QCC) was made with EBM. A proximate study revealed no discernible differences in the amounts of protein, fat, and moisture between QCC and QEC. Likewise, texture analysis verified that the cheese's hardness remained unchanged after the β-CD treatment. These results demonstrate that β-CD can successfully reduce the cholesterol in cow's milk without changing the final texture, color, or flavor of Queso Blanco cheese. Further research into this technology for large-scale production and an evaluation of its suitability for other dairy products is advised.