Methods for manufacture of fat-free cream cheese

A fat-free cream cheese-like fermentation product comprising:

• (1) a concentrated skim milk composition;
• (2) a source of fat such that the fat content in the fat free cream cheese-like fermentation product is less than 1.5 percent;
• (3) a ropy culture;
• (4) a bulking agent;
• (5) an emulsifier;
• and
• (6) a vegetable gum,
• wherein the fat-free cream cheese-like fermentation product does not include a cottage cheese component, wherein the fat-free cream cheese-like fermentation product has less than about 1.5 percent fat.

A fat-free cream cheese-like fermentation product as prepared by a process comprising:

• (i) providing a skim milk composition having a high solids content;
• (ii) combining the skim milk composition with a source of fat to form a dairy mixture;
• (iii) culturing the dairy mixture with a ropy culture until the pH reaches a value of about 5.2 to about 4.9 to form a first cultured mixture;
• (iv) blending the first cultured mixture with at least one bulking agent and at least one emulsifiers to form a second cultured mixture;
• (v) heating the second cultured mixture to a first temperature of about 60° C. to about 65° C. to form a third cultured mixture;
• (vi) blending the third cultured mixture with a vegetable gum to form a fourth cultured mixture;
• (vii) heating, with mixing, the fourth cultured mixture to a second temperature of about 80° C. to about 90° C. to form a fifth cultured mixture;
• (viii) homogenizing the fifth cultured mixture to form the fat-free cream cheese-like product,
• wherein the fat-free cream cheese-like product does not include a cottage cheese component, wherein the fat content of the fat-free cream cheese-like product is less than about 1.5 percent.