ABSTRACT
244Paneer (Indian cheese) is an important indigenous milk product obtained by acid coagulation of hot whole milk with subsequent drainage of whey. The coagulants most commonly used are citric acid and lactic acid, both in natural and in chemical form. Paneer is a highly nutritious and wholesome food and has great value in the diet. Good quality paneer is characterized by an acidic nutty flavor with a slight sweetish taste, a firm cohesive and spongy body, and a close, smooth texture. Textural parameters of paneer are known to have an important impact on its quality and its acceptability. The emphasis in this chapter is to summarize the textural properties of paneer and factors affecting the acceptability during manufacturing of paneer. Pressing of curd plays a vital role in developing the textural properties of paneer and the chapter covers all the details pertaining to the pressing step during manufacturing of paneer.
