Comparison of peroxide value methods used for semihard cheeses

Area of Science:

• Food Chemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Dairy Science

Background:

• The International Dairy Federation (IDF) peroxide value method is standard for dairy lipid oxidation.
• Evaluating alternative lipid extraction solvents is crucial for efficient and accurate analysis.
• Cheese lipid oxidation is influenced by storage conditions and analytical methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess alternative methods to the IDF peroxide value determination.
• To evaluate the feasibility of different solvents for lipid extraction and peroxide value analysis.
• To compare lipid extraction yields and peroxide values using various methods.

Main Methods:

• Packaged Havarti cheeses were stored under controlled conditions (4°C, illuminated display).
• Lipids were extracted using Folch and Bureau of Dairy Industry (BDI) methods.
• Hydroperoxide contents were measured using three different solvent systems and colorimetric analysis.

Main Results:

• Folch extraction yielded higher fat extraction (109%) compared to BDI (61%) relative to the IDF gravimetric method.
• Significantly higher peroxide values were observed with the Folch extraction method versus BDI.
• All three tested solvent solutions produced comparable peroxide values with strong linear correlations (r² 0.951–0.983).
• Light exposure did not significantly alter peroxide value levels in cheese samples.

Conclusions:

• Alternative lipid extraction solvents can be effectively used for peroxide value determination in dairy products.
• The choice of extraction method (Folch vs. BDI) impacts fat yield and measured peroxide values.
• Accurate lipid oxidation assessment in cheese is achievable with various solvent combinations, indicating method flexibility.