The possibility of using shear-induced inulin gels or heated inulin solutions to replace fat in imitation cheese was investigated. Imitation cheeses with a moisture content of 54 g/100 g were manufactured by replacing 0 (control, 21.7 g fat/100 g cheese), 23% or 63% of the fat with shear-induced inulin gel. Imitation cheeses with 54 g and 56 g moisture per 100 g cheese were also manufactured by replacing 63% of the fat with a heated inulin solution or a shear-induced inulin get (both 25 g/100 g), respectively. No differences were observed between cheeses manufactured with the heated inulin solution or shear-induced inulin gel. The addition of inulin did not affect the cheese melt. The inulin-containing cheeses at 54 g moisture per 100 g had increased (P < 0.05) hardness but the 56 g moisture per 100 g had similar hardness to the control. Values of G' and G" decreased with increasing temperature but at temperatures >55 degrees C increased for cheeses containing the higher level of inulin. Electron micrographs showed that inulin addition seemed to reduce the level of honeycomb structures evident in the protein matrix relative to the control. It is concluded that inulin can be used to replace up to 63% of the fat in imitation cheese and that the preferred method of addition is as a heated inulin solution. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.