Free fatty acids and volatile compounds in low-fat Kefalograviera-type cheese made with commercial adjunct cultures

Abstract

The effect of two commercial adjunct cultures, LBC 80 ( Lactobacillus casei subsp. rhamnosus ) and CR-213 (containing Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis and Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris ) on lipolysis and the formation of volatile compounds in low-fat hard ewes’ milk cheese of the Kefalograviera-type was investigated. Two controls, a full-fat cheese (30.6 g fat 100 g cheese −1 , 37.8 g moisture100 g cheese −1 ) and a low-fat cheese (9.7 g fat 100 g cheese −1 , 48.6 g moisture 100 g cheese −1 , made using a modified procedure) were also prepared. The results indicated that the low-fat cheeses made using the adjunct cultures had significantly higher total levels of free fatty acid (TFFA) than the control low-fat cheese but significantly lower levels than the control full-fat cheese. Almost the same volatile compounds were identified in the four cheeses. The low-fat cheeses made with the adjunct cultures had higher levels of acetone, diacetyl and acetoin than the control low-fat cheese but lower levels than the full-fat cheese.