Abstract
<jats:p>Purpose. Developing a startup project to produce cottage cheese enriched with betaine to expand the range of functional products. Materials and Methods. The cottage cheese was produced using the acid-rennet method in two variants: the 1st is a control (traditional cottage cheese with 5% fat content, farmer's), the 2nd is an experimental (enriched cottage cheese). During the production of the 2nd variant of cottage cheese, a 30-40% aqueous solution of calcium chloride in the amount of 10-15 g of anhydrous salt was added to the milk, and acidin-pepsin was used instead of milk-clotting enzyme at the rate of 5 g per 100 kg of milk. To study the raw materials and finished products, generally accepted research methods were used, including: mass fraction of fat, moisture, dry matter, carbohydrates, protein - according to GOST 5867-2023, GOST 3626-73, GOST 25179-2014; titratable acidity - according to GOST 3624-92; density – by the areometric method according to GOST R 54758-2011. All studies were carried out with threefold repetition. Results. Mass fraction of fat, protein, and SNF in the milk intended for cottage cheese production was 3.7%, 3.2%, and 8.6%, respectively, with a titratable acidity of 17.5% and a density of 1028.0 kg/m³. The resulting cottage cheese had a pronounced functional focus: dietary fiber content of 0.4 g, betaine content of 6.3 mg, and silicon content of 0.3 mg per 100 g of finished product. The product had a pure fermented milk flavor and aroma, a white or slightly creamy color, and a soft, spreadable texture. Conclusion. The proposed startup project for the production of betaine-enriched cottage cheese expands the range of enriched functional dairy products.</jats:p>