High moisture, low fat cream cheese with maintained product quality and method for making same

A method for producing a spreadable food product containing at least about 70 weight percent moisture, less than about 10 weight percent fat and having a casein to whey ratio of about 40:60 to about 0:100, respectively, said method comprising:

• (a) combining at least one food grade acid with a whey protein source in an aqueous medium comprising at least about 30 percent whey protein on a dry basis to form an acidified whey protein source with a pH of less than about 4.0;
• (b) heating said acidified whey protein source in a first heating step at a temperature sufficient to denature said acidified whey protein to form an acidified whey protein aggregate;
• (c) blending said acidified whey protein aggregate with a fat source to form a protein fat mixture;
• (d) adjusting the pH of said protein-fat mixture to a level of about 4.7 or higher;
• (e) homogenizing said protein-fat mixture in a first homogenization step;
• (f) heating said protein-fat mixture in a second heating step at about 180 to about 200° F. for about 5 to 30 minutes;
• (g) blending the protein-fat mixture with at least one gum;
• (h) heating the protein-fat mixture in a third heating step at about 170 to about 185° F. for about 5 to 30;
• (i) homogenizing the protein-fat mixture in a second homogenization step to form a spreadable food product, wherein the first and second homogenization steps are carried out using separate two-stage homogenization steps.