Plant cheese based on complex coacervation with enrichment of oleosomes

As green and healthy dietary habit become increasingly popular among consumers, plant-based cheese has gained widespread attention as an emerging plant-based product. Replicating the sensory, nutritional, and physicochemical properties of dairy cheese remains a critical challenge due to the compositional complexity and structural heterogeneity of plant-based products. This study developed plant cheese based on complex coacervation with enrichment of oleosomes and the roles of plant-based ingredients in shaping its microstructure, texture, and moisture distribution were examined. The plant-based cheese exhibited excellent stretchability and tunable rheological properties. Papain hydrolyzed oleosomes significantly enhanced the water-binding capacity and structural stability of plant-based cheese by improving the matrix and optimizing the fat distribution. LF-NMR analysis revealed that the addition of soy protein isolate (SPI)/gum arabic (GA) coacervates enhanced the binding of water, reducing its mobility, which in turn affected the texture of the plant-based cheese. This study highlights the potential of complex coacervation to design plant-based cheeses with favorable textural properties and controlled water distribution, offering new insights for novel plant-based cheeses.