Reduction in the Brining Time in Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese Production Minimally Affects Proteolysis, with No Effect on Sensory Properties.

Cecilia Loffi,Valeria Musi,Paolo Reverberi,Gianni Galaverna,Anna Garavaldi,Stefano Sforza,Elena Bortolazzo,Tullia Tedeschi

doi:10.3390/foods10040770

Abstract

Brine soaking is one of the most important steps in the production of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, since it determines the amount of salt in the final product. Reduction in salt in Parmigiano Reggiano cheese might be important for improving its nutritional profile, but it could affect the manufacturing processes by altering proteolysis and consequently the product quality. In this study, for the first time, salt reduction was explored at the industrial level on real cheese samples manufactured in a local dairy. In particular, 20 wheels were produced with conventional (18 days, 10 wheels) and shorter (12 days, 10 wheels) brining steps. In every group, wheels were studied at two different ripening times, 15 and 30 months. A shorter brining time resulted in an average 12% decrease in salt content. A full characterization of free amino acids and peptides was performed by LC-MS on all samples. Free amino acids and peptides, as expected, increased with ripening, due to proteolysis, with samples having low salt content showing a slightly faster increase when compared to standard ones, hinting to a slightly accelerated proteolytic process. Nonetheless, low-salt and conventional cheeses shared similar sensory profiles at both ripening times.

Highlights

Parmigiano Reggiano is a well-appreciated and high-quality, long-ripened, hard Italian cheese
The brining time is not fixed by the production disciplinary, but it is defined by the dairies: normally 21 days is the average brine time for a traditional brine system, while 18 days is the average brine time for the fully submerged one
The present study aimed to investigate for the first time the effect of salt reduction in the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese production process, at two different ripening stages, on the nitrogen fraction and sensory properties

Summary

Introduction

Parmigiano Reggiano is a well-appreciated and high-quality, long-ripened, hard Italian cheese. This cheese has been included in the list of Protected Designation of Origin (PDO, EU regulation 1151/2012) foods. This regulation ensures the way of production, quality, and area of origin of this typical product, with specific geographic restrictions: milk intended for the production of this cheese can be produced and transformed only in the northern Italian provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, and Modena and in some parts of Bologna and Mantova. After cooking, brining is performed by soaking the curd in salt solution for a time that is not fixed by the production disciplinary, even if most of the dairies use 21 days as a standard time. Significant variations between the fresh product and the aged one can be observed with regard to both taste and nutritional aspects [10]

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