Camillia Halabi^*1

¹Department of Food Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering ,University of Latakia, Latakia, Syria.

(*Corresponding author: Dr. Camellia Halabi, Email: Camellia-halabi@latakia-univ.edu.sy, 0991674923)

Received:4 /12 /2025                  Accepted:26 /03 /2026

Abstract: 

This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of using sesame protein powder, derived from sesame seeds, as a sustainable alternative to cream in the production of low-fat cream cheese, focusing on the analysis of molecular interactions and their impact on sensory and functional characteristics. The results showed that replacing cream with sesame protein powder led to significant improvements in chemical properties. The fat content decreased from 35.2% in the control sample to 8.2% in the full replacement sample (T4), while the protein content increased from 12.1% to 28.4%, respectively. Samples containing sesame protein powder also exhibited a notable improvement in emulsion stability, reaching 94.3% in the T4 sample compared to 72.3% in the control sample. In terms of sensory evaluation, the sample with 50% replacement (T2) received the highest overall acceptability score (8.2/10). The study concluded that sesame protein powder represents an effective and sustainable alternative to cream, enhancing the nutritional value and functional properties of low-fat cream cheese, with a recommendation not to exceed a 50% replacement ratio to maintain the desired sensory acceptance.

Keywords: Cream cheese, Sesame protein, Fat replacers, Molecular interactions, Sensory properties, Emulsion stability.

 Full paper in Arabic: PDF