Incorporation of Cow’s and Goat’s Milk and Its Effect on The Texture Profile and Quality of Cheddar Cheese

This study aimed to analyze the effect of incorporating cow’s milk and goat’s milk on the physicochemical characteristics, texture, amino acid and fatty acid profiles, and functional activity of Cheddar cheese. Cheeses were produced using four treatments, namely 100% cow’s milk, 100% goat’s milk, 70% cow’s milk:30% goat’s milk, and 30% cow’s milk:70% goat’s milk. Analyses were conducted for pH, moisture, protein, fat, ash, texture profile, color, antioxidant activity (DPPH), microbiological quality, as well as amino acid and fatty acid profiles using FTIR, HPLC, and GC-FID methods. Sensory evaluation involved 25 semi-trained panelists using a 5-point hedonic scale, and data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA followed by Duncan’s test (P<0.05). The results showed that the 30% cow’s milk:70% goat’s milk treatment produced cheese with lower pH, higher protein content, and dominant amino acids (glutamate, proline, leucine). The highest antioxidant activity was observed in cheeses with higher proportions of cow’s milk, while goat’s milk contributed to higher levels of medium-chain fatty acids. Sensory evaluation revealed that all treatments were accepted by panelists within the “like” to “strongly like” category. This study provides practical implications for the development of functional Cheddar cheese based on cow–goat milk blends and represents an original contribution to the scientific basis of goat milk utilization in the dairy industry under tropical conditions.