Acceleration of Reggianito cheese ripening. Effect of increased initial ripening temperatures on biochemical and sensory characteristics

Abstract

The acceleration of cheese ripening is of major interest in the cheese industry because it is related to both product characteristics and production costs. In this study, different temperature-time combinations using elevated temperatures of 20°C within the first month of maturation were applied during Reggianito cheese ripening. Data obtained from proteolysis, lipolysis, analysis of volatile compounds and sensory analysis were considered to establish optimal ripening conditions. Principal component analysis showed that the two first principal components explained 56.4% of data variability. Ripening at 20°C during the first month followed by 12°C resulted in 4-month-old cheeses with characteristics similar to Reggianito cheese traditionally ripened for 6 months at 12°C.

Volatile profile evolution of Reggianito cheese during ripening under different temperature–time combinations

“…Sihufe et al [17] carried out a study to assess the impact of an increased storage temperature of 18 °C and suggested an optimal ripening period between 2 and 3 months. Later, another study also showed encouraging results when elevated temperatures of 20 °C were applied during the first month of the ripening period, showing an important reduction in storage time of 2 months [18] with a milder development of the final sensory characteristics [19].…”