Comparative analysis of physicochemical, textural, color and sensory properties of cow’s milk feta and its analogues made with coconut oil

Feta cheese is a popular white-brined cheese traditionally made with sheep's or cow’s milk. With growing interest in plant-based diets, coconut oil-based analogues have emerged as alternatives that aim to replicate the characteristics of dairy-based Feta cheese. However, the extent to which these analogues achieve the nutritional and sensory properties of traditional Feta remains inadequately studied. This study aims to compare the physico-chemical, textural, color, and sensory properties of Feta cheese made with cow’s milk with those of coconut oil-based analogues. Physico-chemical ana-lysis revealed that the analogues contained significantly higher fat content (up to 27.25%), but much lower protein (up to 1.450%) and ash content (up to 1.51%) compared to the cow’s milk Feta, which contained up to 13.4% protein and 3.44% ash. The pH values were also lower in the analogues (3.15 - 3.57) than in the dairy-based cheeses (up to 4.48), indicating reduced buffering capacity. Textural analysis indicated that the analogues were firmer, whereas the cow’s milk Feta samples were softer and more cohesive. Color measurements confirmed that both varieties had high lightness, but the analogues exhibited greater variations in tone and chroma, likely due to the presence of coconut oil. In the sensory evaluation, the Feta samples made with cow’s milk were preferred, characterized by a pleasant salty taste, a firm but crumbly texture, and a milky aroma. In contrast, the analogues were perceived as sour, less salty and pasty, resulting in a lower overall acceptance. Although coconut oil-based analogues resemble traditional Feta in appearance and hardness, they lack comparable nutritional value and sensory quality, indicating a need for formulation improvement.