Blog - Functional and nutrition dairy ingredients | Armor Protéines

Making soft cheeses, like labneh, without waste.

Written by Lara AUGUIN | May 6, 2020 10:09:11 AM

Labneh is a Middle Eastern speciality that is traditionally prepared by draining fermented cow’s milk. In the dairy industry, it is made using thermophilic lactic acid bacteria.

Labneh: a fashionable product

Labneh is usually served with a drizzle of olive oil and pita bread. This soft cheese has become highly fashionable on the European market in recent years, where it reflects the current trend for discovering or rediscovering traditional culinary specialities from abroad. Just like hummus or lassi – a typical Indian drink that has recently soared in popularity – European consumers are keen to discover exotic new flavours. More and more restaurants offering mezze and other foreign culinary specialities are popping up in major European cities.

Why is labneh produced in such small quantities?

Although demand is high, labneh is not currently produced in large quantities in Europe. Most of the manufacturers who have been producing it for several years completely master the manufacturing process and its complexity. However, many manufacturers are still rather reluctant to embark on this adventure, fearful of having to invest in specific equipment or complex manufacturing processes.

How can you ensure maximum yields from soft cheese production?

At Armor Protéines, we are designing solutions to address this issue. As such, we have developed a range of solutions featuring our ingredients that will enable you to obtain maximum yields when producing soft cheeses such as labneh, cream cheese and feta.

Our methods involve zero whey loss. Our 100% yield labneh solution was designed so that you can reduce costs and produce cheese without generating co-products. It is an easy-to-use, 100% dairy solution that quickly rehydrates.

With this solution, you can use skimmed or whole milk in fluid or powdered form as a base. You can then add fats, such as butter, cream, dairy or vegetable fats. If, however, you are aiming to make light or fat-free cheeses, you can still use our solution. There is no need to invest in expensive equipment. A cooking food processor and a homogeniser is all you need to make your cheeses, without having to modify your products.