Background: The Indian soft cheese variant known as paneer is a highly healthful and nutritious dairy product that serves as the foundation for a wide range of culinary specialties. One of the main factors reducing the likability of paneer by consumers is its bland flavour. By including natural compounds from herbs, spices andgrasses while making paneer, this might be avoided. In light of these factors, various researchers have developed new types and varieties of paneer. 
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Methods: This investigation was planned and conducted to optimize the % fat in milk (ranging from 3 to 4.5%), level of tomato puree (5 to 10%) and coagulation temperature (70 to 80&deg;C) for manufacture of tomato flavoured paneer (TFP) using response surface methodology. The sensory attributes of paneer viz., flavour, body and texture, colour and appearance and overall acceptability, were used as responses. 
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Result: The optimized process consisted of use of milk standardized to 3.7 per cent milk fat, addition of 10 per cent tomato puree (w/w of milk) and using a coagulation temperature of 78&deg;C. The experimental tomato flavoured paneer (TFP) was prepared as per the suggestions from response surface methodology (RSM) and compared with control paneer (CP) prepared from standardized milk containing 4.5% milk fat and 8.5% MSNF. The fat, Fat in dry matter (FDM) and ash content of TFP were significantly (P&lt;0.05) lower than that of CP, whereas moisture, carbohydrate, titratable acidity, vitamin-C, total dietary fibers and anti-oxidant activity of TFP were significantly (P&lt;0.05) higher than CP. All the textural properties viz. hardness, springiness, cohesiveness, chewiness and gumminess of samples containing tomato products were significantly (P&lt;0.05) lower compared to control. The flavour score of TFP were at par (P&gt;0.05) with CP while body and texture, colour and appearance and overall acceptability score of CP was significantly (P&lt;0.05) higher compared to TFP. 
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Optimizing Method for Manufacture of Tomato Flavoured Paneer using Response Surface Methodology