Influence of Cheese Type and Maturation Time on the Early Maillard Reaction in Cheese

Abstract

Formation and degradation of Amadori products (APs) originating from the early Maillard reaction during maturation of three different commercial cheeses, namely Cheddar, Emmentaler and Gouda, was investigated. APs were analysed as the corresponding n-(furoylmethyl) amino acids formed after acid hydrolysis. The contents of furosine, which is a hallmark for Amadori products resulting from derivatisation of lysine at the ε-amino group (ε-APs), ranged from 4 to 20 mg/100 g protein, corresponding to 33 to 159 µmol of lysine Amadori product per 100 g protein in the cheese samples at the start of the ripening period. Furosine contents declined during ripening in all investigated cheeses, in which cheese type and the stage of ripening influenced the rate of furosine decline. In contrast to this, all detectable N-terminal APs (α-AP) decreased at similar rates. The mean total content of these substances ranged from 12 to 48 µmol/100 g protein. The ratio between ε-APs and α-APs can be used as an indicator for the cheese ripening.

Formation of Early and Advanced Maillard Reaction Products Correlates to the Ripening of Cheese

“…Especially primary amino groups are capable of the reaction with residual lactose and the monosaccharides galactose and glucose. The content of 6 of the Gouda cheeses (Figure ) was in line with the findings of Schwietzke et al . and exceeded the concentrations of the Amadori product within the acid curd cheese (Figure ).…”

“…Especially primary amino groups are capable of the reaction with residual lactose and the monosaccharides galactose and glucose. The content of 6 of the Gouda cheeses (Figure 7) was in line with the findings of Schwietzke et al 15 and exceeded the concentrations of the Amadori product within the acid curd cheese (Figure 6). The reasons can be related to different processing conditions such as enhanced whey drainage and heat treatment or to differences in the composition of the raw material.…”

“…14 Parallel to the breakdown of the protein network, the modification of α-amino groups of proteins, peptides, and amino acid side chains occurs simultaneously. 15 Especially the nucleophilic ε-amino group of lysine reacts with carbonyl groups of reducing sugars and their degradation products. This complex series of reaction pathways is called the Maillard reaction or nonenzymatic browning and accompanies always the thermal treatment and storage of milk and dairy products.…”

“…Parallel to the breakdown of the protein network, the modification of α-amino groups of proteins, peptides, and amino acid side chains occurs simultaneously . Especially the nucleophilic ε-amino group of lysine reacts with carbonyl groups of reducing sugars and their degradation products.…”

Predicting sensory evaluation indices of Cheddar cheese texture by fluorescence fingerprint measurement coupled with an optical fibre

“…Manchego (Corzo, Villamiel, Arias, Jiménez-Pérez, & Morales, 2000), Cheddar, Gouda and Emmental (Schwietzke, Schwarzenbolz, & Henle, 2009), Harzer and Gouda cheeses (Spanneberg, Salzwedel, & Glomb, 2012) have been reported that the Maillard reaction proceeded along with cheese maturation of these cheeses. These studies measured Maillard reaction products in young and matured cheese using high performance liquid chromatography analysis.…”