Typical Italian Cheese Research Articles

Physicochemical and microbiological characterisation of a typical Italian raw ewe's milk cheese: Pecorino bagnolese

Pecorino Bagnolese is a typical Italian cheese made from raw ewe's milk in province of Avellino (southern Italy). The aim of this study was to evaluate the physicochemical and microbiological parameters during cheese-making and ripening (30, 90 and 180 d). Results showed that the cheese-making and ripening influenced the pH, water activity, moisture, fat content and levels of Enterobacteriaceae. Changes in the fatty acids profile of ripened cheeses compared to milk were observed, suggesting the influence of ripening on the fatty acids profile. Nutritional indices demonstrated positive health attributes. The concentration of malondialdehyde remained consistently low, while free fatty acids showed an increasing trend during ripening. Coagulase-positive staphylococci complied with the legislative threshold value, but colonies of Staphylococcus aureus were found. Pathogens were not detected. In conclusion, the data collected provided a better characterisation of this traditional cheese and can be used for broadening knowledge of raw ewe's milk cheeses.

Discriminative power of DNA-based, volatilome, near infrared spectroscopy, elements and stable isotopes methods for the origin authentication of typical Italian mountain cheese using sPLS-DA modeling

Origin authentication methods are pivotal in counteracting frauds and provide evidence for certification systems. For these reasons, geographical origin authentication methods are used to ensure product origin. This study focused on the origin authentication (i.e. at the producer level) of a typical mountain cheese origin using various approaches, including shotgun metagenomics, volatilome, near infrared spectroscopy, stable isotopes, and elemental analyses. DNA-based analysis revealed that viral communities achieved a higher classification accuracy rate (97.4 ± 2.6 %) than bacterial communities (96.1 ± 4.0 %). Non-starter lactic acid bacteria and phages specific to each origin were identified. Volatile organic compounds exhibited potential clusters according to cheese origin, with a classification accuracy rate of 90.0 ± 11.1 %. Near-infrared spectroscopy showed lower discriminative power for cheese authentication, yielding only a 76.0 ± 31.6 % classification accuracy rate. Model performances were influenced by specific regions of the infrared spectrum, possibly associated with fat content, lipid profile and protein characteristics. Furthermore, we analyzed the elemental composition of mountain Caciotta cheese and identified significant differences in elements related to dairy equipment, macronutrients, and rare earth elements among different origins. The combination of elements and isotopes showed a decrease in authentication performance (97.0 ± 3.1 %) compared to the original element models, which were found to achieve the best classification accuracy rate (99.0 ± 0.01 %). Overall, our findings emphasize the potential of multi-omics techniques in cheese origin authentication and highlight the complexity of factors influencing cheese composition and hence typicity.

Fate of aflatoxin M1 from milk to typical Italian cheeses: Validation of an HPLC method based on aqueous buffer extraction and immune-affinity clean up with limited use of organic solvents

Aflatoxins are mycotoxins produced by several species of Aspergillus fungi which can be found in food and feed. When lactating animals are exposed to feedstuff contaminated by aflatoxin B1, they can excrete its hydroxylated form, aflatoxin M1 (AFM1), into milk. In EU, the AFM1 maximum limit in milk is 0.050 μg kg−1.In this work, we validated a method based on extraction of AFM1 from hard and soft cheese by a sodium citrate solution without the use of organic solvents, and analysis by HPLC-fluorescence detection after purification by immuno-affinity.The method proved to be fit-for-purpose and was successfully verified by participating to proficiency tests.Finally, starting from milk artificially contaminated with AFM1 we prepared four different types of Italian cheese to evaluate AFM1 transfer from milk to cheese and calculate concentration factors occurring during cheese-making processes. We observed an increase of AFM1 concentration in hard cheeses compared to soft cheeses.

Evolution and antimicrobial resistance of enterococci isolated from Pecorino and goat cheese manufactured on-farm in an area facing constraints as per EU Regulation 1305/2013 in Umbria, Italy.

The latest EU regulation on geographical indications (EU Regulation No. 1151/2012) has introduced a set of new tools for the protection and enhancement of food products in rural areas, under the group name of optional quality term (OQT). The Commission Delegated EU Regulation, No. 665/2014, regulated the conditions for the use of the optional quality term mountain product (MP), to support the implementation of a mountain value chain. This new tool is aimed at promoting local development, maintaining the economic activities in mountain areas, and redistributing wealth, whilst, at the same time, promoting the territory. Pecorino and goat cheeses are typical Italian cheeses made usually with whole raw ewe’s or raw goat’s milk, without starter culture addition. In an attempt to characterize these productions, the aim of this study was to investigate the evolution of enterococci during the production and ripening of Pecorino cheese made in three different farms, located in Umbria, Italy in areas facing natural or other specific constraints as stipulated by Regulation 1305/2013 on support for rural development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD). Enterococci are enteric organisms which are commonly isolated from ewe and goat’s milk production in Umbria, Italy. Counts of enterococci in raw milk ranged from 1.75 for ovine milk to 3.62 for ewe milk and a marked reduction was observed after thermization especially in ovine milk. Out of 100 isolates, 69 were E. faecium, 23 E. durans, 8 E. faecalis and 2 E. casseliflavus and the distribution of species between farms and between samples showed a prevalence of E. faecium in ovine farms and E. durans in ewes farms, with an equal dis-tribution between samples. High percentages of susceptible isolates were found for amoxicil-lin/clavulanic acid, ampicillin, chloramphenicol, sulphamethoxazole, sulphamethoxazole/ trimethoprim, ticarcillin, vancomycin. A high prevalence of resistant strains (>30%) was ob-served for amikacin, ciprofloxacin, ceftriaxone, kanamycin, tetracycline. A comparison of this re-sults with those of previous works on similar dairy products revealed high levels of resistance to antimicrobials which needs to be addressed.

HS-SPME/GC–MS volatile fraction determination and chemometrics for the discrimination of typical Italian Pecorino cheeses

The volatiles of three typical Italian Pecorino cheeses were analysed by headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled with gas-chromatography with mass spectrometry detection (GC–MS) evaluating its potentiality to discriminate Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) Pecorino Romano (PR), PDO Pecorino Sardo (PS) and Pecorino di Farindola (PF). A Design of Experiments (DOE) was employed to optimize the extraction conditions in terms of sample temperature and exposure time in the HS-SPME/GC–MS procedure. Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) and Partial Least Squares-Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) were applied to the volatile composition data to classify samples. Both methods showed high calibration accuracy (100% of non-error rate in cross-validation) and good predictions (87.5% of correct classification, on the external validation set) providing a powerful tool for discriminating Pecorino cheeses, despite their production occurs in different production cycles, in nearby geographical areas and, in the case of PS/PR origins, the raw materials come from common sources.

Chromatographic determination of biogenic amines in four typical Italian cheeses: correlations with processing and nutritional characteristics through a chemometric approach

The presence of biogenic amines (BAs) fermented food is well known. They may affect food quality, posing health risks. In this work, four typical Italian cheeses, exported worldwide, were analyzed to determine the possible presence of BAs. The cheese samples were analyzed untreated and having been subjected to common or incorrect consumer handling (domestic grating, unrefrigerated storage). A chromatographic-amperometric method was developed and validated. Extraction of BAs was performed by the addition of eluent, determining matrix effect and recovery of biogenic amines directly within the cheeses. Biogenic amines were present in the range of 0.019-0.044 g kg-1 , well below the current EU limit. Home-manipulation confirmed recontamination of the cheese. The contents of BAs were correlated with the main processing parameters and with the nutritional properties of the four cheeses through the multivariate statistical analysis (principal component analysis). This is believed to be the first study that presents these correlations. This study highlights correlations among BAs and carbohydrates, and anticorrelations with pH and, to a lesser extent, with moisture. Interestingly, BAs are correlated with fat content. This correlation was confirmed by a new principal component analysis performed on our data set with additional data from the literature. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

1H NMR characterisation of the lipid fraction and the metabolite profiles of Fossa (pit) cheese

Fossa cheese is a typical Italian cheese characterised by ripening in pits dug in tuffaceous rock. In this work, 1H NMR spectroscopy was applied to characterise the lipid fraction and the metabolite profile of Fossa cheese produced with sheep's milk. Samples were collected before and after ripening in different pit environments. The higher levels of free amino acids (FAAs) found in samples suggest that cheeses underwent a strong proteolytic process. Differences in quantity and variety of FAAs were influenced by the two ripening environments. Diacylglycerols and butyric acid, which can be linked to lipolysis, were detected in all the samples. Longer ripened samples had higher contents of rumenic acid (18:2 cis-9, trans-11) and glycerol, and lower contents of lactate and citrate. The presence of tyramine was observed by two-dimensional NMR, while cadaverine was not detected in the samples.

Effect of fermentation-produced camel chymosin on quality of Crescenza cheese

Quality properties of Crescenza cheese, a typical Italian soft cheese with a short shelf life, are negatively affected by proteolysis due to residual rennet activity, causing a bitter taste and excessive softening of its structure. Chemical composition, textural, rheological and sensory properties of Crescenza cheese manufactured with a fermentation-produced camel chymosin (FPCC) were compared with Crescenza cheese obtained with calf rennet during a 3-week shelf life period. Both Crescenza cheeses complied with the overall expected cheese quality. FPCC Crescenza cheese was characterised by a slightly higher moisture content and lower rate of hydrolysis of αS1-casein than Crescenza cheese obtained with calf rennet. However, FPCC cheese showed a slightly firmer body. The use of FPCC as clotting enzyme may be a valid alternative to calf rennet to prevent the defect of excessive cheese softening.

Effects of Pasteurization and High Pressure Treatments on Two Bacteriophages (Φ Apr-1 and Φ Apr-2) Active against Lactococcus Lactis from Buffalo Milk

Water Buffalo Mozzarella (WBM) is a typical Italian stretched-curd cheese, traditionally produced in central-southern Italy. The Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) mark was obtained in 1996, according to Reg. (CE) 510/2006 and it represents a guarantee in relation to the geographical production area, milk quality, production phases and labelling.

Antioxidant peptides released from gastrointestinal digestion of “Stracchino” soft cheese: Characterization, in vitro intestinal protection and bioavailability

Stracchino is a typical Italian soft cheese, widely consumed and appreciated for its flavour and freshness. With the aim to follow the release of health-promoting peptides, an in vitro gastro-intestinal digestion of Stracchino was carried out. The digest was fractionated by semi-preparative RPLC and tested for its antioxidant properties in H2O2-treated intestinal epithelial cell line (IEC-6). The most active fraction was characterized by UHPLC-MS/MS, showing the presence of two abundant β-casein hexapeptides: EAMAPK (f: 115–120) and AVPYPQ (f: 192–197), which were synthesized and tested, showing antioxidant activities in a wide concentration range (5–150 µg/mL), involving ROS reduction, SOD expression increase and Nrf2 antioxidant response activation. Hence, bioavailability studies were carried out through Caco-2 monolayers cells on the two hexapeptides, which revealed a significative concentration in the basolateral side. The results highlight the potential of Stracchino as health promoting food, and the possible employment of casein peptides in nutraceutical formulations.

Food safety concerns deriving from the use of silver based food packaging materials.

The formulation of innovative packaging solutions, exerting a functional antimicrobial role in slowing down food spoilage, is expected to have a significant impact on the food industry, allowing both the maintenance of food safety criteria for longer periods and the reduction of food waste. Different materials are considered able to exert the required antimicrobial activity, among which are materials containing silver. However, challenges exist in the application of silver to food contact materials due to knowledge gaps in the production of ingredients, stability of delivery systems in food matrices and health risks caused by the same properties which also offer the benefits. Aims of the present study were to test the effectiveness and suitability of two packaging systems, one of which contained silver, for packaging and storing Stracchino cheese, a typical Italian fresh cheese, and to investigate if there was any potential for consumers to be exposed to silver, via migration from the packaging to the cheese. Results did not show any significant difference in the effectiveness of the packaging systems on packaged Stracchino cheese, excluding that the active packaging systems exerted an inhibitory effect on the growth of spoilage microorganisms. Moreover, silver migrated into the cheese matrix throughout the storage time (24 days). Silver levels in cheese finally exceeded the maximum established level for the migration of a non-authorised substance through a functional barrier (Commission of the European Communities, 2009). This result poses safety concerns and strongly suggests the need for more research aimed at better characterizing the new packaging materials in terms of their potential impacts on human health and the environment.

Diversity of lactic acid bacteria isolated from Brazilian water buffalo mozzarella cheese.

The water buffalo mozzarella cheese is a typical Italian cheese which has been introduced in the thriving Brazilian market in the last 10 y, with good acceptance by its consumers. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) play an important role in the technological and sensory quality of mozzarella cheese. In this study, the aim was to evaluate the diversity of the autochthones viable LAB isolated from water buffalo mozzarella cheese under storage. Samples were collected in 3 independent trials in a dairy industry located in the southeast region of Brazil, on the 28th day of storage, at 4 ºC. The LAB were characterized by Gram staining, catalase test, capacity to assimilate citrate, and production of CO2 from glucose. The diversity of LAB was evaluated by RAPD-PCR (randomly amplified polymorphic DNA-polymerase chain reaction), 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and by Vitek 2 system. Twenty LAB strains were isolated and clustered into 12 different clusters, and identified as Streptococcus thermophilus, Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus durans, Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides, Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, and Lactobacillus helveticus. Enterococcus species were dominant and citrate-positive. Only the strains of L. mesenteroides subsp. mesenteroides and L. fermentum produced CO2 from glucose and were citrate-positive, while L. casei was only citrate positive. This is the first report which elucidates the LAB diversity involved in Brazilian water buffalo mozzarella cheese. Furthermore, the results show that despite the absence of natural whey cultures as starters in production, the LAB species identified are the ones typically found in mozzarella cheese.

Lactobacillus helveticus: importance in food and health.

Lactobacillus helveticus: importance in food and health.

The Value of Region of Origin, Producer and Protected Designation of Origin Label for Visitors and Locals: The Case of Fontina Cheese in Italy

AbstractPurpose: Food and tourism have a very close relation and food can be considered an essential tourism resource. This research is focused on the analysis of consumers' and tourists' food buying behaviours. The aim of this paper is to understand the value that can be generated by linking a typical food product to the region of origin/producer/certification. In particular, we tested the hypothesis that these elements (region of origin, producer and certification) have a different weight for consumers living in different places. Moreover, the research aims at segmenting typical food product consumers, to enable producers and tourism operators to achieve communication goals effectively. Methodology: The paper is based on an empirical survey of locals and visitors that considers the case of Fontina cheese, a typical Italian cheese. Findings: The research reveals that the origin of the product is, generally, more valued than protected designation of origin (PDO) certification. The perceived value of these attributes is then found to vary according to the distance between the region of origin of the product and consumers' residence. In particular, the importance of PDO certification for consumers increases with increasing distance from the region of origin of Fontina cheese. PDO is thus valued more by tourists than by locals. Originality/value: The analysis supports and builds on previous studies on the importance of PDO certification (Bruwer and Johnson 2010; Dimara and Skuras 2005). Importantly, this work contributes by eliciting consumers' preferences for PDO according to territorial differences. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Composition and sensory analysis for quality evaluation of a typical Italian cheese: influence of ripening period

Caciottina massaggiata di Amaseno, a typical dairy product of the Lazio Region prepared from buffalo milk, was analysed for moisture, fat, protein, pH, and acidity content at different storage (0, 3, 6, and 9 months after production). Cheeses were also evaluated for various sensory attributes (taste, flavour, texture, and overall acceptability) during storage. We evaluated the flavour profile and acceptability of Caciottina cheeses of varying maturity using a descriptive analysis. Descriptive sensory profiles of selected cheeses were determined using a trained panel (n = 12) and an established cheese flavour sensory language. In quantitative descriptive analysis a trained panel rated the cheeses for colour, odour, taste and texture. In the affective tests the panellists evaluated the samples for overall quality. The results proved that months of production had significant effects on the sensory quality of the cheeses.

Lactose content in typical Italian Gorgonzola cheese: a pilot study

Background Gorgonzola is an Italian blue-veined cheese in which Penicillium roqueforti develops as a blue-green mould. Gorgonzola cheese is produced in the Italian Piedmont and Lombardy regions, according to a procedure precisely defined by a “Protected Denomination of Origin” (PDO) protocol. Due to the production technique and the presence of lactic acid bacteria, Gorgonzola cheese is considered completely free of lactose by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) classification. Short-ripened Gorgonzola cheese (“dolce” variety), on the other hand, may contain residual lactose. The aim of this study was to investigate the actual lactose content in “dolce” Gorgonzola samples obtained from market.

A RFID web-based infotracing system for the artisanal Italian cheese quality traceability

The aim of this study is the integration of an electronic tracing system with a non-destructive quality analysis system for single product of a typical Italian cheese, prepared with buffalo milk and called “Caciottina massaggiata di Amaseno”, a typical diary product of Lazio Region. The tracing and quality information are combined on a web platform to obtain a complete procedure to develop what we define as an “infotracing system”. Quality analyses (chemical, sensorial and spectrophotometric) were carried out on a total of 23 cheese wheels (8 with TAGs) and for three cheese maturation classes (3, 6 or 9 months after production). Two typologies of RFID tags were tested. Results were screened by Partial Least Squares regressions (PLS) on reflectance values for the prediction of chemical content, while classification of cheese maturation classes (3, 6 or 9 months) was carried out by Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLSDA) on reflectance values. The RFID system turned out as effective, reliable and compatible with the production process tool. A good estimation of maturation degree by spectral and chemical analysis was obtained. Moreover an infotracing web-based system was designed to acquire and link basic information that can be made available to the final consumer or to different food chain actors before or after purchasing, using the RFID code to identify the single and specific cheese product. The projected web-based tracing system could improve the products commerce by increasing the information transparency for the consumer.

Elemental and isotopic characterisation of typical Italian alpine cheeses

Seven kinds of bovine milk cheese (Asiago, N = 16; Fontina, N = 16; Montasio, N = 16; Puzzone, N = 14; Spressa, N = 15; Toma, N = 16; Vezzena, N = 16) produced in alpine and pre-alpine Italian areas are described using the isotopic ratios of C, N, O, S and Sr and the contents of 49 mineral elements. A multivariate discriminant analysis based on Ba, Ca, K, Mg, Rb, δ 13C casein, δ 15N casein and δ 18O glycerol correctly classified 94% of the 109 samples with a maximum of 100% in the case of Fontina and Puzzone, δ 13C casein and δ 13C glycerol provided an estimation of the maize uptake in the animals’ diet and Protected Designation of Origin protocol observance.

Detection of Hen Lysozyme on Proteic Profiles of Grana Padano Cheese through SELDI-TOF MS High-Throughput Technology during the Ripening Process

Lysozyme is used in cheese manufacture in order to prevent blowing in cheeses caused by Clostridium tyrobutyricum. Being an egg derivative, the presence of lysozyme must be included on the label for residual allergenic risk (2003/89/CE). The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of lysozyme on proteic profiles of typical Italian cheeses such as Grana Padano through surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The proteolytic activity of ripening (from 0 to 24 months), confirmed by a decrease in casein, did not influence the intensity of lysozyme peaks. Furthermore, ripened Grana Padano cheese could be differentiated on mass profiling from immature Grana Padano by the presence of particular signals that are probably related to casein proteolysis.

Evaluation of real-time PCR assays for detection and quantification of fraudulent addition of bovine milk to caprine and ovine milk for cheese manufacture

Many typical Italian cheeses made from ovine milk are certified as Protected Designation of Origin (PDO). Because caprine and ovine milk production is limited, the fraudulent addition of cows' milk is widespread. In addition, some compounds in bovine milk have high allergenic potential; therefore, such fraud also has implications for consumer health. In this study, a real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR) test was developed to detect and quantify cow's milk in caprine and ovine cheeses, based on two target genes. The mitochondrial Cytochrome b gene ( Cytb) of Bos taurus was used to detect and quantify bovine DNA. The nuclear gene myostatin ( Myo), nuclear ribosomal gene 18S, or mitochondrial gene 16S were used alternatively as universal reference markers. Caprine ( n = 30) and ovine ( n = 51) cheese samples were purchased and analyzed and most were shown to be contaminated by bovine milk. Pairwise analysis of quantification data using a Spearmann Rank Correlation test demonstrated a highly significant correlation between data obtained with the different reference assays.