Characteristics and proteolysis of a Spanish blue cheese made with raw or pasteurised milk

Abstract

Valdeón cheese is a Spanish Protected Geographical Indication of blue-veined cheese produced on an industrial scale from raw or pasteurised cow and/or goat milk. The aim of this work was to evaluate the impact of pasteurisation on the microbiological, physicochemical and sensory characteristics of cheese. Cheeses made with raw milk showed higher counts of lactobacilli and enterococci, as well as lower values of pH and D-lactic acid and salt/moisture ratio. Cheeses made with pasteurised milk showed greater extent of proteolysis, higher concentration of free amino acids and lower concentration of biogenic amines. Pasteurisation produced more elastic and harder cheeses, but with a lower sensory profile.

Influence of Salting on Physicochemical and Sensory Parameters of Blue-Veined Cheeses

“…This fact would explain why the salted cheeses in brine (L4) and in the mass of curd (L5) with the highest moisture content were those with the lowest hardness. The same effect was observed by Diezhandino et al [44] in Valdeón cheese ripened for two months, with a positive correlation between pH and hardness. On the other hand, the higher hardness values of cheeses salted in brine, compared with those salted in partly drained curd, would be determined by the differences in their salt content.…”

“…In the latter, it was observed that the higher the salt concentration, the lower the moisture content and the luminosity [43]. In fact, Diezhandino et al [44] reported that there is a negative correlation between luminosity and the total solids. Regarding the values obtained for the red/green coordinates (a*), significant differences were observed between the dry-salted cheeses (L1, L2, and L3) and the cheese salted in the mass of curd (L5) with respect to those salted in the brine (L4), with a greater tendency toward greenish tones in the dry-salted samples.…”

Effects of milk types used in Antep cheese production on some cheese organoleptic quality parameters and brine composition during 5‐month ripening

“…temperature used for the ripening conditions, and the increase in salt content during ripening due to diffusion from brine. It is known that the WSN ratio in cheeses produced from raw milk is lower than those produced with the addition of starter culture (Diezhandino et al, 2022;Hannon et al, 2003;Kırmacı et al, 2014). As expected, there is a positive correlation between WSN and REI values.…”

“…The reason for relatively low WSN values in Antep cheese may stem from the type and properties of milk types, the absence of starter cultures in cheese production, the application of the scalding process in production, the low temperature used for the ripening conditions, and the increase in salt content during ripening due to diffusion from brine. It is known that the WSN ratio in cheeses produced from raw milk is lower than those produced with the addition of starter culture (Diezhandino et al., 2022; Hannon et al., 2003; Kırmacı et al., 2014). As expected, there is a positive correlation between WSN and REI values.…”

How can the NaCl content of ripened Fourme d'Ambert cheese be reduced using innovative dry surface salting processes?

“…casein in Cheddar cheese. Indeed, proteolysis is considered the main biochemical change during the ripening of blue cheeses, where strong rate of proteolysis is linked to the strong enzymatic activity of Penicillium roqueforti(Mane et al 2019;Diezhandino et al 2022).…”