Differential effects of milk, yogurt, and cheese on energy homeostasis and brown adipose tissue phenotype in high-fat diet-induced obese mice.

Aim: We hypothesized that milk, yogurt, and cheese have differential impacts on energy expenditure (EE) and obesity in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD). Methods: C57BL/6 mice (n = 16 per group) were fed a HFD or a HFD supplemented with fat-free milk (MILK), fat-free plain yogurt (YOG), or reduced-fat cheddar cheese (CHE; 19 kcal% fat), each provided at 10% of the daily energy intake, for 8 weeks. EE was quantified using a metabolic chamber. Metabolic pathways related to BAT mitochondrial function and uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) abundance were assessed. Serum lipidomic profiles were analyzed to identify potential mediators of the observed effects. Results: MILK supplementation lowered weight gain and fat accumulation and enhanced EE and BAT thermogenesis, perhaps via the SIRT1-AMPK-PGC1α axis in BAT. This led to elevated UCP1 abundance and enhanced the abundance of hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL). MILK also altered serum lipid species, indicating enhanced energy use, and promoted BAT thermogenesis and mitochondrial function pathways. YOG exhibited a similar pattern but a lower magnitude of effects than MILK on reducing weight gain and fat mass, increasing EE, and BAT thermogenic proteins, including AMPK-PGC1α-UCP1. Both MILK and YOG showed a relative increase in serum PC 15:0_15:0 and LPC 15:0. In contrast, CHE reduced weight gain and increased EE without impacting BAT thermogenesis proteins or serum lipid species. Conclusion: Our study showed that MILK, YOG, and CHE reduced weight gain in mice on a HFD by increasing EE. MILK and YOG also up-regulated BAT thermogenesis, while both additionally altered lipids involved in fat metabolism and inflammation. CHE did not affect BAT thermogenesis and lipid species compared to HFD.

Tuning and modeling cheese flavor.

Flavor is a major sensory attribute affecting consumers' preference for cheese products. Differences in cheesemaking change the cheese microenvironment, thereby affecting cheese flavor profiles. A framework for tuning cheese flavor is proposed in this study, which depicts the full picture of flavor development and modulation, from manufacturing and ripening factors through the main biochemical pathways to flavor compounds and flavor notes. Taking semi-hard and hard cheeses as examples, this review describes how cheese flavor profiles are affected by milk type and applied treatment, fat and salt content, microbiota composition and microbial interactions, ripening time, temperature, and environmental humidity, together with packaging method and material. Moreover, these factors are linked to flavor profiles through their effects on proteolysis, the further catabolism of amino acids, and lipolysis. Acids, alcohols, ketones, esters, aldehydes, lactones, and sulfur compounds are key volatiles, which elicit fruity, sweet, rancid, green, creamy, pungent, alcoholic, nutty, fatty, and sweaty flavor notes, contributing to the overall flavor profiles. Additionally, this review demonstrates how data-driven modeling techniques can link these influencing factors to resulting flavor profiles. This is done by providing a comprehensive review on the (i) identification of key factors and flavor compounds, (ii) discrimination of cheeses, and (iii) prediction of flavor notes. Overall, this review provides knowledge tools for cheese flavor modulation and sheds light on using data-driven modeling techniques to aid cheese flavor analysis and flavor prediction.

Impact of Pressing Time on the Microstructure of Two Types of Goat Cheeses and Its Relationship With Sensory Attributes.

The objective of this study was to study the impact of pressing time on the microstructure of goat cheese and its relationship with sensory attributes. The microstructure of the artisanal cheeses was performed by scanning electron microscopy and image analysis. The validation of the microstructural complexity was carried out experimentally with sensory attributes. The pressing time influenced the microstructural parameters Feretmax, Geodiam, and τ and the cheese type influenced the parameters Feretmax, Geodiam, and Geoelong. The correlation values between microstructural complexity and sensory attributes were 0.85 and 0.84 for fresh cheeses and matured cheeses, respectively. The pressure times of 12 and 18 h resulted in cheese microstructures with the highest complexity in terms of Feretmax, Geodiam, Geoelong, and τ parameters. The obtained results are supported by the correlation values between microstructural complexity and sensory attributes.

Characterization of cooked cheese flavor: Volatile components.

The aim of this work was to identify volatiles that contribute to the aroma of cooked cheese, including the role of fat content in their development during cooking. Volatiles and odorants in cooked mature Cheddar were identified using a combination of SPME (solid-phase microextraction)/GC-O (gas chromatography-olfactometry) and SPME/GC-MS (gas chromatography-mass spectrometry). A selection of the odorants was quantitated in six cheeses, uncooked and cooked, (mature Cheddar, high-, medium-, and low-fat mild Cheddar, mozzarella, and Parmesan). Many compounds showed significant differences between cooked and uncooked cheese; Strecker aldehydes, pyrazines, and furanones were all significantly higher in cooked cheeses than in uncooked cheese, while ethyl esters (key odorants in uncooked cheese) were not detected in any of the cooked cheese. Principal component analysis demonstrated that fat concentration in mild Cheddar was positively correlated with the formation of potential odorants (the Strecker aldehydes, methanethiol, 2-methylketones, and fatty acids) upon cooking. Potential lipid precursors for these compounds are discussed. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This research can be used by the dairy industry to develop better cheeses, especially low- and reduced-fat cheeses, for use in cooked applications such as toppings for pizzas and ready meals. Alternatively, this research describes key volatile compounds in cooked cheese that can be used by the flavoring industry to develop authentic cooked cheese flavorings.

Rennets differing in chymosin-to-pepsin ratio shape the metabolomic and sensory profile of Grana Padano PDO cheese during ripening.

Utilizing different chymosin and pepsin ratios in cheesemaking may represent a potential strategy to shape the sensory profile of hard cheeses. This study investigated the impact of rennet with varying chymosin and pepsin ratios on the chemical profile and sensory attributes of Grana Padano PDO cheese at different ripening times (10 to 20 months). The research involved the analysis of hard cheese manufactured with distinct calf chymosin percentages (99 %, 95 %, and 83 %), exploiting sensory analyses and untargeted metabolomics to identify marker compounds correlating with specific sensory traits. The results demonstrated that varying the rennet composition significantly affected sensory profile; in particular, the rennet made by 83 % chymosin and 17 % pepsin generated a more complex sensory profile starting from 12 months. AMOPLS and ASCA analysis on untargeted metabolomics signatures revealed that ripening time was the only significant factor when compared with rennet type and the interaction ripening x rennet. Finally, at more advanced ripening times, 3-methylbutanoic acid and homoethone were significantly up-accumulated in cheese samples manufactured with higher pepsin percentages, likely explaining sensory outcomes. This study provides valuable insights into using rennet to tailor the sensory qualities of hard cheeses, underscoring the importance of enzyme selection in cheese manufacturing to drive innovation in the dairy industry.

Antioxidant Peptides Derived from Cheese Products via Single and Mixed Lactobacillus Strain Fermentation.

Probiotics are used in cheese fermentation to endow the product with unique functional properties, such as enhanced flavor and aroma development through proteolysis and lipolysis. In this study, two probiotic Lactobacillus strains, Lactobacillus plantarum A3 and Lactobacillus reuteri WQY-1, were selected to develop new probiotic cheeses in the form of single- and mixed-strain starters. The results demonstrated that the L. plantarum A3 single-strain group and the L. plantarum A3/L. reuteri WQY-1 mixed fermentation group exhibited superior product performance, particularly the release of functional hydrolysates during cheese ripening. Furthermore, Label-free quantitative proteomic analysis revealed 26 unique antioxidant peptides in the L. plantarum A3 single-strain group and 53 in the L. plantarum A3/L. reuteri WQY-1 mixed fermentation group. Among these, CMENSAEPEQSLACQCL (ß-lactoglobulin), CMENSAEPEQSLVCQCL (ß-lactoglobulin), and IQYVLSR (κ-casein) have been found to possess potential antioxidant properties both in vitro and in vivo. This confirmed that milk-derived protein peptides in cheese products exhibit potential antioxidant functions through the hydrolysis of probiotic strains.

Temporal dominance of Sensations: Do different concepts of "dominance" affect the results?

The purpose of this study was to understand the role of "dominance" definitions in the results of TDS applied to consumers. This study compared two temporal dominance of sensations (TDS) approaches - TDS-I - that attracts the most attention and TDS-II - most intense/strongest sensation - in the context of evaluating artisanal Minas cheeses from the Serra da Canastra and chocolate with different cocoa concentrations samples. TDS curves were constructed and a trajectory-based principal component analysis (PCA) was performed dominance rates at ten equally spaced time points. Additionally, difference curves, multiple factor analysis (MFA) and regression vector coefficient (RV coefficient) were performed to compare the two approaches. The findings showed that the two approaches produced similar results, suggesting that consumers interpret the terms dominant and intense in a similar way during TDS evaluations, the results were even closer at the chocolate study than at the cheese study. However, in both approaches were observed low dominance rates and differences between the sensation perception time, mainly in the evaluation of cheese flavor. This variability may be attributed to the complexity of the cheese's flavor and the varied interpretations of dominance among evaluators. Despite these differences, the approaches showed similar characterizations across the same samples, demonstrating high reproducibility and a strong ability to differentiate between samples. This study demonstrates that the choice between the terms dominant (which captures more attention) or intense (stronger) to guide consumers in performing the sensory test does not significantly influence the results. Consequently, it is possible to adopt greater freedom and flexibility in the terminology used to instruct participants in conducting the test.

Soluble Salts in Processed Cheese Prepared with Citrate- and Phosphate-Based Calcium Sequestering Salts.

In this study, the protein and salts distribution (Ca, P, Na and Mg) in processed cheese (PC) samples prepared with 180 or 360 mEq/kg of the calcium sequestering salts (CSS) disodium phosphate (DSP), disodium pyrophosphate (DSPP), sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP) and trisodium citrate (TSC) was studied. For this purpose, a water-soluble extract (WSE) of PC samples was prepared. All PC samples contained 45-46% moisture, 26-27% fat and 20-21% protein and had a pH of 5.2 or 5.7. Ultracentrifugation slightly reduced the protein content of the WSE of PC, indicating that most protein in the WSE was non-sedimentable. At equal concentration of CSS, the protein content of the WSE was higher for PC at pH 5.7 compared to PC at pH 5.2. Approximately 55-85% of the Ca and P in the WSE of samples was 10 kDa-permeable for PC prepared with DSPP and SHMP. This suggests that the formation of non-permeable Ca-polyphosphate-casein complexes. For PC prepared with TSC, >90% of Ca in the WSE was 10 kDa-permeable, indicating that micellar disruption arises from sequestration of micellar Ca. These results indicate that the WSE method is an appropriate method to understand how salts present in PC are distributed. However, the WSE and ultracentrifugal supernatant of the WSE can include both soluble and protein-associated salts. Therefore, determining levels of salts in 10 kDa permeate of ultracentrifugal supernatant of the WSE is most appropriate.

Green fabrication of modified lignin/zeolite/chitosan-based composite membranes for preservation of perishable foods.

Chitosan, as a kind of naturally occurring green and degradable material for the preservation of perishable foods, was investigated in this study with the objective of enhancing its preservation performances. Herein, lignin was modified using the solvent fractionation method (modified lignin, ML, including ML1-ML3), while natural clinoptilolite zeolite was modified using the alkali modification method (modified clinoptilolite zeolite, MCZ, including MCZ1-MCZ5). After optimizing the conditions, it was discovered that incorporating both ML3 and MCZ3 into pure chitosan-based membranes might be conducive to fabricate chitosan-based composite membranes for the preservation of perishable foods. As-prepared composite membranes possessed better visible light transmittance, antioxidant activity, and carbon dioxide/oxygen selectivity, resulting in improved preservation effects on the model perishable foods such as bananas, cherry tomatoes, and cheeses. These findings might indicate promising applications for chitosan-based composite membranes with modified lignin and zeolite in the field of eco-friendly degradable materials for the preservation of perishable foods.

Identification of technological/metabolic/environmental profiles associated with cheeses accumulating the neuroactive compound tryptamine.

Tryptamine is a neuromodulator of the central nervous system. It is also a biogenic amine, formed by the microbial decarboxylation of L-tryptophan. Tryptamine accumulation in cheese has been scarcely examined. No studies are available regarding the factors that could influence its accumulation. Determining the tryptamine content and identifying the factors that influence its accumulation could help in the design of functional tryptamine-enriched cheeses without potentially toxic concentrations being reached. We report the tryptamine concentration of 300 cheese samples representing 201 varieties. 16% of the samples accumulated tryptamine, at between 3.20 mg kg-1 and 3012.14 mg kg-1 (mean of 29.21 mg kg-1). 4.7% of cheeses accumulated tryptamine at higher levels than those described as potentially toxic. Moreover, three technological/metabolic/environmental profiles associated with tryptamine-containing cheese were identified, as well as the hallmark varieties reflecting each. Such knowledge could be useful for the dairy industry to control the tryptamine content of their products.

Exploring the potential of chlorogenic acid/chitosan nanoparticle-loaded edible films with photodynamic technology for Mongolian cheese application.

This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of edible films made from chlorogenic acid/chitosan (CGA/CS) nanoparticles combined with photodynamic technology (PDT). Hydroxypropyl starch (HS) and κ-carrageenan (KC) were used as the main ingredients in the preservation of Mongolian cheese under the PDT condition. The mechanical characteristics, water vapor adsorption, solubility, permeability, and release of chlorogenic acid in aqueous media were evaluated. The incorporation of CGA/CS significantly enhanced the tensile strength and barrier characteristics of the edible films. The antimicrobial efficacy of the edible film was assessed over a period of 7 days while the cheese was being stored, followed by PDT application. The use of antimicrobial PDT did not cause lipid oxidation in cheese samples. Additionally, the combination of CGA/CS@HS/KC helped to reduce fat oxidation in Mongolian cheese. Utilizing an edible film in conjunction with PDT presents a viable solution for prolonging the shelf life of Mongolian cheese while maintaining its sensory attributes and nutritional qualities.

Biological activities, Peptidomics and in silico analysis of low-fat Cheddar cheese after in vitro digestion: Impact of blending camel and bovine Milk.

Cheesemaking with camel milk (CM) presents unique challenges and additional health benefits. This study involved preparing low-fat Cheddar cheese (LFCC) by blending bovine milk (BM) with varying levels of CM. Control cheese was made exclusively with BM. After 180 days of ripening, LFCC samples underwent in vitro digestion to determine antioxidant capacities, α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition. The peptide profile of LFCC treatments was analyzed using liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight-mass spectrometry. Antioxidant and biological activities were influenced by BM-CM blends and digestion. At days 120 and 180, the number of αs1-casein-derived peptides increased in all samples except for LFCC made with 15% CM. Generally, 88 peptides exhibited ACE inhibition activity after 120 days of ripening, increasing to 114 by day 180. These findings suggest that ripening time positively affects the health-promoting aspects of functional cheese products.

Stability study of ptaquiloside biotoxin from P. esculentum var. Arachnoideum in bovine milk and artisanal dairy-food products.

The potential health risk of consuming dairy products made from milk processed in an artisanal manner was investigated due to possible contamination with Ptaquiloside (PTA), a carcinogenic compound found in the food chain of the bracken fern. The study aimed to assess the occurrence and stability of PTA across various processing stages, including pasteurization, cheese production, and yogurt production. Results indicated that pasteurization effectively converted all PTA to Pterosin (PTB), with PTB levels decreasing during refrigerated storage for up to two weeks. The stability and occurrence of initial PTA contamination remained unchanged in yogurt production. Biotoxin concentrations in soft cheeses decreased over time, independent of ionic strength; cheeses with low salt concentrations showed lower retention of the biotoxin within the cheese protein network. These findings offer valuable insights into the stability and occurrence of PTA, facilitating the monitoring and identification of potential adverse health effects.

Microbiome signatures associated with flavor development differentiate Protected Designation of origin water Buffalo Mozzarella cheese from different production areas.

Water Buffalo Mozzarella (BM) is a typical cheese from Southern Italy with unique flavor profile and texture. It is produced following a traditional back-slopping procedure and received the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) label. To better understand the link between the production area, the microbiome composition and the flavor profile of the products, we performed a multiomic characterization of PDO BM collected from 57 different dairies located in the two main PDO production area, i.e. Caserta (n = 35) and Salerno (n = 22). Thus, we assessed the microbiome by high-throughput shotgun metagenomic sequencing and the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus helveticus, and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. delbrueckii were identified as the core microbiome present in all samples. However, the microbiome taxonomic profiles resulted in a clustering of the samples based on their geographical origin, also showing that BM from Caserta had a greater microbial diversity. Consistently, Caserta and Salerno samples also showed different VOC profiles. These results suggest that the microbiome and its specific metabolic activity are part of the terroir that shape BM specific features, linking this traditional product with the area of production, thus opening new clues for improving traceability and fraud protection of traditional products.

Onopordum platylepis (Murb.) Murb. as a novel source of thistle rennet: First application to the manufacture of traditional Italian raw ewe's milk cheese.

In this study, for the very first time, aqueous extracts obtained from flowers of spontaneously grown or cultivated Onopordum platylepis (Murb.) Murb. thistles were used as coagulating agents for the pilot-scale manufacture of Caciofiore, a traditional Italian raw ewe's milk cheese. Cheese prototypes were compared to control cheeses curdled with a commercial thistle rennet obtained from flowers of Cynara cardunculus L. After 45 days of ripening under controlled conditions, both the experimental and control cheese prototypes were analyzed for: cheese yield, physico-chemical (pH, titratable acidity, aw, proximate composition), morpho-textural (color and texture), and microbiological parameters (viable cell counts and species composition assessed by Illumina sequencing), as well as volatile profile by SPME-GC-MS. Slight variations in titratable acidity, color, and texture were observed among samples. Based on the results overall collected, neither the yield nor the proximate composition was apparently affected by the type of thistle coagulant. However, the experimental cheese prototypes curdled with extracts from flowers of both spontaneous or cultivated thistles showed 10 % higher values of water-soluble nitrogen compared to the control prototypes. On the other hand, these latter showed slightly higher loads of presumptive lactococci, thermophilic cocci, coliforms, and eumycetes, but lower counts of Escherichia coli. No statistically significant differences were revealed by the metataxonomic analysis of the bacterial and fungal biota. Though most volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were consistent among the prototypes, significant variability was observed in the abundance of some key aroma compounds, such as butanoic, hexanoic, and octanoic acids, ethanol, propan-2-ol, isobutyl acetate, 2-methyl butanoic acid, and 3-methyl butanal. However, further investigations are required to attribute these differences to either the type of coagulant or the metabolic activity of the microorganisms occurring in the analyzed cheese samples. The results overall collected support the potential exploitation of O. platylepis as a novel source of thistle coagulant to produce ewe's milk cheeses.

Modelling of dynamic mastication physics of cheese/casein gels as function of milk-fat distribution and intensity of thermo-mechanical treatment.

Pasta filata-style cheese products are among the world's most famous cheese varieties. Thermo-mechanical processing of cheese curd results in stringy, fibrous, and anisotropic structures with pleasing texture attributes. A recent area of research focuses on improving yield during the manufacturing of pasta filata-type cheese products by homogenizing the milk. This process reduces the size of fat droplets, leading to better retention of milk fat during curd plasticization. As this sometimes results in texture deficits, this study aims to investigate the impact of thermo-mechanical processing on curd from homogenized and non-homogenized milk. The hypothesis is that increased thermo-mechanical processing, leading to more anisotropic structural elements, may offset texture deficits caused by homogenization. To assess textural and structural changes due to homogenization and thermo-mechanical processing, mechanical tests including rheology and texture analysis were conducted, along with confocal-laser-scanning microscopy. Additionally, sensory evaluation involving panelists consuming the samples and recording mastication properties such as muscle activity and jaw movement was carried out. Dynamic data modeling was used to derive connections between structure and texture. Results showed that homogenization alone did not yield significant differences between the samples, but plasticization and texturization properties differed significantly. Non-homogenized samples developed a distinct fibrous structure, and muscle activities and jaw movements increased significantly (p < 0.01) with longer thermo-mechanical processing.

Dairy versus non-dairy cheese texture: Sensory and instrumental contrasts.

With growing consumer demand for plant-based products that mimic the eating experience of animal-based products, there is a need for improvement in instrumental measurements of sensory texture. This study aimed to characterize textural differences between dairy and non-dairy cheeses, and to investigate whether Large Amplitude Oscillatory Shear (LAOS) rheometry could discriminate sensory texture better than Texture profile analysis. Commercial dairy and non-dairy cheddar, mozzarella, and cream cheese were selected to provide a wide range of textures. Sensory evaluation used the check-all-that-apply methodology with 73 consumers. Texture profile analysis force-distance data were analyzed empirically, and also converted to stress and strain (see https://shiny.csiro.au/texture_dash). The major textural differences between dairy and non-dairy cheddar were related to structural cohesion, according to both instrumental measures (dairy cheddar had 1.5-fold higher failure stress and 2.2-fold higher failure strain) and sensory measurements (dairy cheddar was more chewy and less crumbly). In contrast, cream cheeses showed similar textural properties using sensory testing but significant instrumental differences (non-dairy cream cheese had 5.7-fold higher modulus of deformability, 4.7-fold higher failure stress). For mozzarella, there were large differences in both sensory attributes (chewy, crumbly, jelly-like, stretchy) and instrumental parameters (13.6-fold difference in modulus, 2.7-fold difference in failure stress). LAOS rheometry gave insights into the mechanisms by which samples absorbed or dissipated mechanical energy at nonlinear strains. The LAOS parameter G 3 ' / G 1 ' $$ {G}_3^{\prime }/{G}_1^{\prime } $$ correlated well with sensory attributes creamy, fatty/oily, and moist, indicating the potential of this technique to measure structural phenomena linked to sensory attributes that resonate with consumers.

Effect of supercritical carbon dioxide on protein structure modification and antimicrobial peptides production of Mongolian cheese and its in vitro digestion.

The aim of this research was to investigate the effects of supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) treatment on protein structure in Mongolian cheese. The peptides during the digestive process of the SC-CO2 treated cheese were also studied. SC-CO2 technology was utilized to treat Mongolian cheese at three temperatures (45, 55 and 65 °C) and three pressures (7.5, 12.5 and 17.5 MPa). The results of fluorescence, ultraviolet-visible, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and free sulfhydryl groups showed that SC-CO2, particularly at 65 °C and 17.5 MPa, modified the protein structure in Mongolian cheese effectively. The data of LC-MS/MS-based peptidomics showed that the content of antimicrobial peptides found in the SC-CO2 treated Mongolian cheese was 1.55 times that of the untreated Mongolian cheese; the content of unique antimicrobial peptides in the digested SC-CO2 treated Mongolian cheese was 1.46 times that of the digested untreated Mongolian cheese, which proved that SC-CO2 could help produce antimicrobial peptides in cheese not only during the process of SC-CO2 treatment but during subsequent simulated gastrointestinal digestion as well. In conclusion, SC-CO2 could be considered a promising method to develop cheese products with potential health benefits.

Effect of ripening time on the content of bioactive peptides and fatty acids profile of Artisanal Coalho cheese.

The present study aimed to investigate the influence of ripening on the physicochemical, microbiological aspects, and fatty acid profile of Artisanal Coalho Cheeses and to detect if there are peptides with bioactive potential in their composition. Artisanal Coalho Cheese samples were kindly provided by a dairy farm located in Brazil in the Rio Grande do Norte state. A completely randomized design was adopted, with four maturation periods (0, 30, 45, and 60 days). Physicochemical traits (pH, total solids, moisture, non-fat solids, fat in total solids, protein, ash, fatty acid profile) and microbiological characterization (Salmonella sp, Listeria monocytogenes, total and thermotolerant coliforms, Staphylococcus aureus) were analyzed on cheese samples. Additionally, assays were performed for antioxidant and antihypertensive bioactivity through ACE and antimicrobial inhibition of the peptides extracted from the samples. There was a linear increase in total solids and ash content and a decrease in moisture content with increasing maturation time. The matured cheese samples had a lower pH than fresh Artisanal Coalho Cheese. Twenty-seven fatty acids were identified in the cheeses: 15 saturated, 07 monounsaturated, and 05 polyunsaturated, with a linear reduction of essential fatty acids (n6 and n3) during maturation. The microbiological quality of the cheeses was satisfactory, with an absence of undesirable bacteria in 92% of the cheese samples. Water-soluble peptide fractions from all periods tested showed antioxidant and antihypertensive potential with ACE control, and the maturation process potentiated these capacities, with a decline in these activities observed at 60 days. The antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria increased with maturation, reaching better results until 60 days. The maturation process on wooden planks in the periods of 30, 45, and 60 days allows the production of Artisanal Coalho Cheese of an innovative character, safe to consumers from the microbiological point of view, with differentiated physicochemical and functional characteristics and good quality of lipid fraction compared to fresh cheese, enabling the addition of value to the dairy chain.

Influence of Cheese Composition on Aroma Content, Release, and Perception.

The quality of a cheese is determined by the balance of aroma compounds primarily produced by microorganisms during the transformation of milk into ripened cheese. The microorganisms, along with the technological parameters used in cheese production, influence aroma formation. The perception of these compounds is further influenced by the composition and structure of the cheese. This study aimed to characterize how cheese composition affects aroma compound production, release, and perception. Sixteen cheeses were produced under controlled conditions, followed by a quantitative descriptive analysis post ripening. Aroma composition was analyzed using HS-SPME-GC-MS, and a dynamic sensory evaluation (TCATA) was combined with nosespace analysis using PTR-ToF-MS. Image analysis was also conducted to characterize cheese structure. Cheese fat and whey lactose contents were identified as key factors in the variability of sensory attributes. GC-MS analyses identified 27 compounds correlated with sensory attributes. In terms of aroma compound release, 23 ions were monitored, with fat, salt, and lactose levels significantly affecting the release of most compounds. Therefore, cheese fat, salt, and whey lactose levels, as well as the types of microbial strains, play a role in influencing the composition, structure, release of aroma compounds, and sensory perception.