Title: | Distinctive Traits of Four Apulian Traditional Agri-Food Product (TAP) Cheeses Manufactured at the Same Dairy Plant |
Author(s): | Celano G; Costantino G; Calasso M; Randazzo C; Minervini F; |
Address: | "Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via Amendola 165/a, 70126 Bari, Italy. Department of Veterinary Medicine-Food Safety Section, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via Valenzano, 70010 Bari, Italy. Department of Agricultural, Food and Environment, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy" |
ISSN/ISBN: | 2304-8158 (Print) 2304-8158 (Electronic) 2304-8158 (Linking) |
Abstract: | "This study aimed to highlight the distinctive features of four Traditional Agri-food Products (TAP), namely, Caprino, Pecorino, Vaccino, and Cacioricotta cheeses produced at the same dairy plant to reveal any possible relationships between their microbiological and biochemical characteristics. Two distinct natural whey starter (NWS) cultures were used during Caprino and Vaccino cheesemaking, whereas no starter was used for the other cheeses. Cacioricotta retained the highest concentrations of salt and residual carbohydrates. Lactic acid bacteria dominated the microbiota of the cheeses. Furthermore, staphylococci represented an additional dominant microbial population in Cacioricotta. Although culture-dependent analysis showed that the use of NWS cultures only slightly affected the microbial community of cheeses, 16S metagenetic analysis showed that Lactobacillus helveticus dominated both the NWS cultures and the corresponding Caprino and Vaccino cheeses. This analysis indicated that Staphylococcus equorum and Streptococcus thermophilus dominated Cacioricotta and Pecorino cheeses, respectively. The highest peptidase activities were found in either Caprino or Vaccino. Enzymes involved in the catabolism of free amino acids and esterase showed the highest activity in Pecorino cheese. Each cheese showed a distinct profile of volatile organic compounds, with Pecorino being the richest cheese in carboxylic acids, ketones, and esters, related to lipolysis. The results of this study contribute to valorizing and safeguarding these TAP cheeses, sustaining local farming" |
Keywords: | TAP cheeses cheese microbiota cheese quality cheese safety cheesemaking technology metagenetic analysis natural whey starter cultures traditional agri-food products volatile organic compounds; |
Notes: | "PubMed-not-MEDLINECelano, Giuseppe Costantino, Giuseppe Calasso, Maria Randazzo, Cinzia Minervini, Fabio eng Switzerland 2022/02/16 Foods. 2022 Feb 1; 11(3):425. doi: 10.3390/foods11030425" |