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Review
. 2025 Mar 20;14(6):1072.
doi: 10.3390/foods14061072.

Sterilized Processed Cheese: Principles, Technological Aspects, and Properties: A Review

Zuzana Lazárková  1 , Eva Lorencová  1 , Markéta Pětová  2 , Martin Novotný  2 , Richardos Nikolaos Salek  1
Affiliations
Review

Sterilized Processed Cheese: Principles, Technological Aspects, and Properties: A Review

Zuzana Lazárková et al. Foods. .

Abstract

Sterilized processed cheese is a dairy product with prolonged shelf life compared to regular processed cheese. The extension of durability is made possible by the thermosterilization of processed cheese, while regular processed cheese is submitted to pasteurization process during manufacturing. Sterilized processed cheese can be classified as long-life foods and their shelf life may reach up to 24 months, if stored at ambient temperature (approx. 25 ± 1 °C). This fact is an advantage over regular processed cheese, which has a shelf life of only around 6 months. Sterilized processed cheese finds application in everyday life when refrigeration facilities are not available; i.e., it is intended for regular retail. However, their most important use is for storage in state material reserves and, moreover, for catering for members of the armed forces and/or members of the integrated rescue system. This review aimed to gather general information on sterilized processed cheeses, their characterization, usage and production. Furthermore, the review discusses the principles of sterilization and factors affecting the course of sterilization focusing on the setting the sterilization limits and sterilization parameters in order to maximize end-product quality. Moreover, last part of the review is devoted to the effect of sterilization and long-term storage on the qualitative parameters of sterilized processed cheese.

Keywords: Maillard reaction complex; lipid oxidation reactions; long-term storage; processed cheese quality; sterilized processed cheese; thermosterilization.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 4
Figure 4
Overview of Maillard reaction complex scheme [62].
Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematic representation of the manufacturing steps applied in sterilized processed cheese (discontinuous process).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Simplified scheme of a vertical batch retort.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The log-linear model of thermal destruction of microorganisms (part A) and the dependence of D-value on temperature (part B).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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