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Composition of Ragusano cheese during aging.

G Licitra1, P Campo, M Manenti

  • 1Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie delle Produzioni Animali, Università di Catania, Italia.

Journal of Dairy Science
|April 6, 2000
PubMed
Summary

This study tracked Ragusano cheese aging for 12 months, revealing significant changes in moisture, protein, fat, and salt content. Aging increased soluble nitrogen and free fatty acids (FFA), impacting texture and composition within cheese blocks.

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Area of Science:

  • Food Science
  • Dairy Science
  • Agricultural Chemistry

Background:

  • Ragusano cheese is a traditional Italian pasta filata cheese.
  • Aging conditions historically involve caves with specific temperature and humidity.
  • Understanding compositional changes during aging is crucial for quality control.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine compositional changes in Ragusano cheese during 12 months of aging.
  • To investigate block-to-block and within-block variations in cheese composition.
  • To analyze the impact of aging on protein and lipid breakdown.

Main Methods:

  • 132 blocks of Ragusano cheese from 20 farmhouse producers were analyzed over 12 months.
  • Initial and final compositions (moisture, protein, fat, salt, pH) were measured.

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  • Soluble nitrogen and free fatty acid (FFA) content were quantified at 180 days.
  • Within-block variations were assessed by analyzing cheese centers versus outside portions.

    • Main Results:

    • Ragusano cheese aged for 12 months showed decreased moisture (45.35% to 33.6%) and increased protein (25.3% to 29.2%), fat (25.4% to 30.0%), and salt (4.4%).
    • Aging significantly increased soluble nitrogen and free fatty acid (FFA) content, indicating proteolysis and lipolysis.
    • Substantial variation in composition was observed both between blocks and within individual blocks, with centers being more moist and less salty.

    Conclusions:

    • The aging process significantly alters the chemical composition of Ragusano cheese.
    • Variations in composition during aging can be substantial, affecting the final product characteristics.
    • Within-block compositional gradients suggest localized differences in proteolysis and texture development.