Characterization of Fatty Acid Profiles and Nutritional Quality Indices in Commercial Spreadable Processed Cheeses: Comparative Analysis and Health Implications

ABSTRACT This study provides a comprehensive characterization of the chemical composition, fatty acid profiles, functional properties, and sensory attributes of 12 commercially available spreadable processed cheeses, including six natural and six imitation products. Natural cheeses were generally characterized by higher levels of saturated fatty acids, with palmitic acid predominating in their lipid profiles. In contrast, several imitation cheese samples exhibited more favorable nutritional quality indices, particularly lower atherogenicity, with AI values below 1.0 in some cases compared with values exceeding 2.5 in certain natural cheeses. Functional behavior varied markedly among samples, with meltability ranging from poor to highly responsive and oil separation strongly influenced by the type and composition of the fat system used. Sensory evaluation revealed a stronger consumer preference for natural cheeses, as the highest‐rated samples achieved scores above 8 on the 9‐point hedonic scale, whereas some imitation cheeses received moderate acceptability scores of approximately 5. Overall, these findings highlight fatty acid composition as a key determinant of both nutritional quality and sensory performance, emphasizing that optimizing unsaturated fat content represents an effective strategy for improving the health profile and consumer acceptance of spreadable processed cheeses.