Protected Denomination Of Origin Cheese Research Articles

Effect of cooking temperature on alkaline phosphatase in the production of raw-milk Pecorino cheese

Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is a native raw-milk enzyme used in many countries as the standard assay for rapidly validating the milk pasteurization process. Due to the increased restrictions on the production or import of cheeses produced from unpasteurized milk, ALP activity (<10 mU/g) in cheese was measured as a simple and reliable method to check proper milk pasteurization in cheese for both safety inspection and trading controls. In Sicily, the artisanal cheesemaking of the Protected Denomination of Origin (PDO) semi-hard cheeses made with raw sheep's milk, includes the cooking of the curd, after the whey separation, in the wooden vat under hot Scotta-whey (≥80°C), for 3 to 4 h and finally is left to cool at ambient temperature. Thus, the temperatures adopted during cheesemaking may inactivate the ALP enzyme. To this purpose, the aim of this study was to demonstrate how different temperatures of Scotta-whey (T35, T60, T70, T80, T90, and T100) used during the second cooking of Pecorino cheeses after molding for 3 h, influence the ALP activity in fresh and 3-mo aged cheese, both at core and outside. The results highlight that the rate of reduction of ALP was greater with increasing temperature of the second cooking, in particular for T 80°C curd indicating that the use of Scotta-whey >80°C, could be a breakpoint able to reduce the ALP activity to <10 mU/g values. Different effects between the core and the outside portions of the experimental cheeses were found, with a decrease in ALP activity more on the outside than in the core portions, both in fresh and 3-mo aged cheeses, for T80, T90, and T100 treatments. Care must be taken in using the ALP to control the use of pasteurized milk in the production of PDO cheeses without considering the cheesemaking processes, such as the second cooking, which could be equal to pasteurization and an adequate interaction time/temperature can reduce the ALP activity to values comparable with cheeses produced with pasteurized milk.

RRNA-based monitoring of the microbiota involved in Fontina PDO cheese production in relation to different stages of cow lactation

Fontina Protected Denomination of Origin (PDO) cheese is a full-fat semi-cooked cheese traditionally made in Northwest Italy (Aosta Valley) and manufactured from raw cow's milk. The management of cattle farms in Aosta Valley calls for seasonal migration to high pastures during the summer and the concentration of calving during the autumn and the beginning of the winter. Based on cattle physiology and given to calving seasonality, three cow lactation phases i.e. post-partum, oestrus and early gestation, can be identified and an effect could be hypothesized on average milk composition and on cheese quality.The aim of the present paper was to investigate the bacterial dynamics during Fontina PDO cheese manufacturing and ripening, in relation to the different lactation stages, in order to evaluate a possible correlation between microbiota and phase of lactation. For this purpose, microbial RNA analysis was carried out by RT-PCR coupled with DGGE and high-throughput sequencing. A good performance of the starter cultures was highlighted throughout Fontina PDO manufacturing and ripening; in fact, the starter prevailed against the autochthonous microbiota. Thus, the microbial activity, which was supposed to affect the final quality of Fontina PDO cheese, appeared to be strictly associated to the presence of the starter, which did not show any difference in its performance according to the different stages of cow lactation. Therefore, the results of this research highlighted a negligible correlation between the microbiota of raw milk and the organoleptic quality and typicity of Fontina cheese in relation to lactation seasonality.

Effects of supercritical fluid extraction pressure on chemical composition, microbial population, polar lipid profile, and microstructure of goat cheese

The consumer trend for healthier food choices and preferences for low-fat products has increased the interest in low-fat cheese and nutraceutical dairy products. However, consumer preference is still for delicious food. Low- and reduced-fat cheeses are not completely accepted because of their unappealing properties compared with full-fat cheeses. The method reported here provides another option to the conventional cheese-making process to obtain lower fat cheese. Using CO2 as a supercritical fluid offers an alternative to reduce fat in cheese after ripening, while maintaining the initial characteristics and flavor. The aim of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of pressure (10, 20, 30, and 40×106 Pa) of supercritical CO2 on the amount of fat extracted, microbial population, polar lipid profile, and microstructure of 2 varieties of goat cheese: Majorero, a protected denomination of origin cheese from Spain, and goat Gouda-type cheese. The amount of fat was reduced 50 to 57% and 48 to 55% for Majorero and goat Gouda-type cheeses, respectively. Higher contents (on a fat basis) of sphingomyelin and phosphatidylcholine were found in Majorero cheese compared with control and goat Gouda-type cheeses. The microbial population was reduced after supercritical fluid extraction in both cheeses, and the lethality was higher as pressure increased in Majorero cheese, most noticeably on lactococcus and lactobacillus bacteria. The Gouda-type cheese did not contain any lactobacilli. Micrographs obtained from confocal laser scanning microscopy showed a more open matrix and whey pockets in the Majorero control cheese. This could explain the ease of extracting fat and reducing the microbial counts in this cheese after treatment with supercritical CO2. Supercritical fluid extraction with CO2 has great potential in the dairy industry and in commercial applications. The Majorero cheese obtained after the supercritical fluid extraction treatment was an excellent candidate as a low-fat goat cheese, lower in triglycerides and cholesterol but still with all the health benefits inherent in goat milk.

Outer Product Analysis Applied to near Infrared and Mid Infrared Spectra to Study a Spanish Protected Denomination of Origin Cheese

Near infrared to mid infrared (NIR–MIR) spectroscopy correlation analysis was applied to test its feasibility in understanding the contribution of the absorption bands related to cheese components for the characterisation of protected denomination of origin (PDO) products. The influence of sample presentation on spectral response was also investigated. Idiazabal cheese, a Spanish PDO cheese, was used as a model. Acidity, expressed as pH, dry matter, fat and total nitrogen content were evaluated in duplicate. The NIR–MIR interactions were analysed by outer product analysis. This study allowed the identification of the main absorption bands associated with fat, protein and water, by using the correlations between constituents in the two studied domains. Confirming preliminary results, it was highlighted that quantitative determination is influenced by sample presentation mode.

Relationship between Sensory Scores and near Infrared Absorptions in Characterising Bitto, an Italian Protected Denomination of Origin Cheese

Historically, specific types of cheese are made in certain geographic areas. Often they have unique flavour characteristics. Studies have suggested the role of local pastures in determining cheese aroma. Bitto is a protected denomination of origin cheese produced in summer in Valtellina (Lombardy, Italy). The aim of this paper was to study the relationship between sensory scores assigned to Bitto cheese by a highly trained panel of experts and near infrared (NIR) data in verifying the NIR ability in predicting sensory characteristics. Bitto moulds (39), with assigned sensory scores, were analysed in the whole NIR range by an Fourier transform-NIR spectrometer. Grated cheese spectra (156) were recorded in reflectance mode. Spectra were grouped in two independent sets (calibration/prediction set = 30 samples; test set = nine samples). PLS1 and PLSD were applied. PLS1 results allowed a satisfactory prediction of total sensory score ( RMSEP 2.53; bias 1.2; slope 0.814) and an acceptable prediction of “Taste and Flavour” score ( RMSEP 0.60; bias 0.51; slope 0.565) for the nine samples in the test set. An acceptable preliminary classification of samples into three “quality classes” was also obtained applying PLSD. Factor loadings plots allowed the identification of some NIR absorption bands related to the development of cheese taste and flavour.

Discrimination of commercial Caciocavallo cheeses on the basis of the diversity of lactic microflora and primary proteolysis

A wide variety of semi-hard pasta-filata cheese fall under the common name “Caciocavallo”, including Caciocavallo Silano, a Protected Denomination of Origin (PDO) cheese produced in Southern Italy. Multivariate analysis techniques were used to investigate the specificity of Caciocavallo Silano PDO cheeses within the area of production and to compare them with cheeses of similar denomination or cheeses produced with similar technology. The composition of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) communities at the species level and the primary proteolysis of commercial cheeses were assessed. A high variability was observed in the composition of LAB communities, and no clear relationship was found with either the region of origin or the cheese denomination. However, the microflora of PDO cheeses was less heterogeneous than that of non-PDO cheeses and composed mainly of non-starter lactic acid bacteria (NSLAB) such as Lactobacillus paracasei , L. fermentum , and L. plantarum . A high diversity in the proteolytic pattern of the cheeses was also found. This diversity was associated with the trends observed in the community of LAB populating each of the cheeses. The main problems concerning the protection of the denomination are discussed.

Comparison of the volatile composition and sensory characteristics of Spanish PDO cheeses manufactured from ewes’ raw milk and animal rennet

Abstract Idiazabal, Manchego, Roncal and Zamorano varieties are the Spanish cheeses manufactured under Protected Denomination of Origin (PDO) from ewes’ raw milk and coagulated with animal rennet. Two batches of each cheese variety were ripened for six months and the cheeses were compared for sensory characteristics and composition of volatile compounds. Seventy-six volatile compounds were identified by GC-MS analysis of headspaces of the cheeses. The volatile profile of the four PDO cheeses differed significantly. Acids were the most abundant volatile compounds in Idiazabal, Roncal, and Zamorano cheeses, whereas alcohols were the main volatile compounds in Manchego cheese due to the large percentage of 2-butanol. Aldehydes, ketones and esters were minor compounds in all the cheese varieties, whereas terpenes and unsaturated hydrocarbons were only found in Manchego cheese. The sensory profiles, of the four PDO cheeses also differed significantly. The highest scores for sharp, brine and rennet odours, and rancid and rennet flavours were assessed in Idiazabal and Zamorano cheeses, whereas milky and buttery odour scores were higher in Manchego, Roncal and Zamorano cheeses than in Idiazabal cheese. Principal component analysis was applied to sensory attributes and volatile composition of the cheeses. Differences in flavour and odour attributes were correlated with differences in the volatile compounds. Two principal components correlating sensory attributes and volatile compounds were defined as “strength factor” and “sweetness factor”. The “strength factor” distinguished among the four cheese varieties, except between Roncal and Manchego cheeses, and the “sweetness factor” distinguished the Zamorano cheese from the Idiazabal, Manchego and Roncal cheeses.

Monitoring the geographic origin of both experimental French Jura hard cheeses and Swiss Gruyère and L’Etivaz PDO cheeses using mid-infrared and fluorescence spectroscopies: a preliminary investigation

Abstract The potential of mid-infrared and intrinsic fluorescence spectroscopies was investigated for determining the geographic origin of different hard cheeses. Mid-infrared (1700–1500 cm −1 region), fluorescence emission spectra, following excitation at 250 and 290 nm, and fluorescence excitation spectra following emission at 410 nm were recorded directly on cheese samples. Twelve experimental hard cheeses were made using identical and controlled cheese-making conditions with milks originating from three different regions in Jura (France). The results of factorial discriminant analysis (FDA) performed on the fluorescence and mid-infrared spectra of the experimental cheeses showed a good discrimination of the cheeses. In a second step, 25 Gruyere Protected Denomination of Origin (PDO) cheeses manufactured at different altitudes in Switzerland, i.e., 11 Gruyere PDO cheeses from the lowlands (

Detection and quantification of bovine, ovine and caprine milk percentages in protected denomination of origin cheeses by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography of beta-lactoglobulins

A method for detecting and quantifying bovine, ovine and caprine milk mixtures in milk and cheeses by means of reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) of β-lactoglobulins is described. Gradient elution was carried out with a flow rate of 0.5 ml/min and a temperature of 45 °C, using a mixture of two solvents: solvent A (0.1% TFA in water) and solvent B (0.09% TFA in 80% aqueous acetonitrile, v/v). The effluent was monitored at 215 nm. Under the conditions used different chromatographic patterns were obtained for bovine, ovine and caprine whey proteins. Each milk type presented different retention times for β-lactoglobulin peaks. Binary mixtures of bovine and ovine or bovine and caprine raw milks containing 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 30, 50, 75 and 95% (v/v) of bovine milk, as well as ovine and caprine milk mixtures containing 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 30, 50, 75 and 95% (v/v) of ovine milk were used for cheese making. Cheeses were prepared and ripened, according to traditional methods. Milk mixtures, fresh and ripened cheeses were analyzed. A linear relationship was established between log 10 of β-lactoglobulin peaks ratio (calculated as peak area values ratio) and log 10 of the relative percentage of bovine or ovine milk. The ratio between β-lactoglobulin peaks was not affected by the degree of ripening. Thus, enabling the quantification of milk type percentage, with a detection limit of 2%. This technique allowed quantification of milk species within the concentration range of 5–95%. The method was successfully applied for authenticity evaluation and quantitative determination of ovine and caprine milk percentages of commercial protected denomination of origin (PDO) cheeses.

Producing specific milks for speciality cheeses.

Protected denomination of origin (PDO) cheeses have distinctive sensorial characteristics. They can be made only from raw milk possessing specific features, which is processed through the 'art' of the cheesemaker. In general, the distinctive sensorial traits of PDO cheese cannot be achieved under different environmental-production conditions for two main reasons: (1) some milk features are linked to specific animal production systems; (2) cheese ripening is affected by the interaction between milk (specific) and the traditional technology applied to the transformation process (non-specific). Also, the environment for a good ripening stage can be quite specific and not reproducible. With reference to milk, factors of typicality are species and/or breed, pedoclimatic conditions, animal management system and feeding. Other factors that influence cheese quality are milk treatments, milk processing and the ripening procedures. The technology applied to most cheeses currently known as PDO utilizes only raw milk, rennet and natural lactic acid bacteria, so that milk must be, at its origin, suitable for processing. The specific milk characteristics that ensure a high success rate for PDO cheeses are high protein content and good renneting properties, appropriate fat content with appropriate fatty acid composition and the presence of chemical flavours originating from local feeds. Moreover, an appropriate microflora is also of major importance. The factors that contribute to achieving milk suitable for transformation into PDO cheese are genetics, age, lactation stage, season and climate, general management and health conditions, milking and particularly feeding, which affect nutrient availability, endocrine response and health status, and also the presence of microbes and chemical substances which enrich or reduce the milk-cheese quality. Many of these factors are regulated by the Producer Associations. However, the secret of the success of PDO cheeses is the combination of modern technology and tradition, with the objective of adapting the product to market demand, without losing specificity, originality and authenticity.

Characterisation of protected denomination of origin cheeses: relationships between sensory texture and instrumental data

Relationships between sensory and instrumental measurements of cheese texture have been explored through an interlaboratory experiment in the framework of a European FLAIR pro- gramme (SENS, Concerted Action no. 2, contract AG RF 025). Ten very different samples of each of the two cheese varieties, Appenzeller, a Swiss serni-hard cheese, and Parmigiano Reggiano, an Ita- lian very hard cheese, were analysed using biochemicaI, rheological and sensory methods. The rela- tional study is one of the first using hannonised methods. Results have shown thar sensory data can be related to instrumental data. Partialleast square regression appears use fui to relate sensory texturai properties from instrumental data. The approach is recommended for similar investigations of other cheese varieties. © Inra!EIsevier, Paris.