Status and developments in analogue cheese formulations and functionalities

Background: Analogue cheeses (AC) are homogeneous cheese-like matrices obtained by mixing water, oils/fats, proteins, emulsifying salts and other ingredients under the influence of heat and mechanical shear. These versatile products are used both directly for consumption and mainly indirectly as ingredients in several foods. Scope and approach: Increasing consumers' expectations, consumption habits, current lifestyles and cheese industry dynamism are factors driving the research towards the development of new cheese-like products and functionalities. This review describes the state of the art on AC formulations in relation to properties of the final product. Key findings and conclusions: Extensive data from research on AC highlight the current growing interest for the development of innovative functionalities to satisfy specific end-use applications. The outcomes of most investigations drew attention to the basic role of type and amount of ingredients to obtain a wide array of customized functionalities. An insight into the role and the interactions among constituents of the formulation and the effect on resultant textural, melting and sensory properties of AC has been provided.