The present invention describes processes that incorporate ionic gums into
wheyless cream cheese to reinforce curd structure, thus increasing
product firmness. The processes involve adding a relatively small (e.g.,
about 0.005 to about 0.1 percent) but effective amount of the ionic gum
(e.g., xanthan, gellan, carrageenan, alginate gums, low methoxy pectin,
or mixtures thereof) before a fermentation step, preferably prior to
initial homogenization/heating steps, to provide ionic gum-dairy protein
interaction without causing coacervation with protein. In certain
preferred embodiments, xanthan gum is used due to its cold water
solubility, consistent composition, availability, and low cost.
