Influence of the maturation process on the sheep's milk of Camembert cheese fatty acid profile change

Abstract

The aim of this research was to study the fatty acid composition of Camembert cheese fat phase. The object of the research was the sheep’s milk Camembert soft cheese. The Camembert soft cheese was made from sheep’s milk pasteurized at 63∘C for 30 minutes before production, using cultures Penicillium camemberti, Geotrichum candidum, as well as Lactococcus lactis, Lactococcus cremoris, Lactococcus diacetylactis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides ssp. cremoris. The study of the cheese fatty acid composition during maturation was carried out using the gas chromatography method in accordance with the state industry standard of the Russian Federation 32915-2014 ”Milk and dairy products. The determination of fatty acid composition of the fat phase by gas chromatography”. The fatty acids profile in the process of cheese maturation changed significantly. There was an increase in the short chain fatty acids concentration: oil (C4:0) kapron (C6:0), capryl (C8:0). A change in the lauric acid content (C12: 0) and myristic acid (C14: 0) showed a similar trend but with less dynamics. On the 14th day of maturation, the concentration of lauric acid (C12:0) increased by 30%, myristic acid (C14:0) – by 13%. At the beginning of the maturation period, the C18:1n9t isomer consisted about 70% of the total fatty acid trans-isomers. During maturation, the concentration of C18:1n9t decreased by 98%. It was found that, regardless of the maturation period, fatty acids C10: 0, C14: 0, C16: 0, C18: 0, C18: 1 t11 and C18: 1c9 consisted about 73% of the total fatty acids. There was a decrease in the concentration of w-6-polyunsaturated fatty acids with a simultaneous increase in the concentration of w-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. The results can serve as a basis for comparative analysis development tools and strategies aimed at improving the nutritional characteristics of sheep’s milk cheese.