INFLUENCE OF ADDITION OF SELECTED SPICES ON MINERAL COMPOSITION OF FRESH CREAM CHEESE

Abstract

Milk and dairy products, especially cheeses, are a good source of minerals that play an important role in maintaining health. Minerals are necessary for biological processes and normal growth and development of the organism. Various spices have been used for centuries to improve the taste of food. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of the addition of selected spices on the mineral composition of fresh cream cheese. Six different samples of fresh cream cheese were produced in the milk processing plant (mini cheese factory). The first sample was marked as a control, without spices, and the rest were produced with the addition of different spices (oregano, basil, parsley, rosemary, and chives), in the amount of 1%. The content of total ash in the tested cheese samples was determined by mineralization of the samples at 550ºC. The ICP-OES was used to determine the content of macroelements and microelements in the tested samples. Based on the obtained results, it was concluded that the addition of spices the statistically significant (p<0.05) effect on the mineral composition of the produced cheeses. The element concentrations (in mg/100g) were determined in the following order: calcium 64.38-112.72; sodium 272.34-363.30; potassium 71.67-117.34; magnesium 8.35-14.51; phosphorus 33.35-119.40. Other identified minerals were found in smaller quantities.