Changes in Physicochemical and Microbiological Properties, Fatty Acid and Volatile Compound Profiles of Apuseni Cheese during Ripening
Crina Carmen Mureşan,
Romina Alina (Vlaic) Marc,
Cristina Anamaria Semeniuc,
Sonia Ancuţa Socaci,
Anca Fărcaş,
Dulf Fracisc,
Carmen Rodica Pop,
Ancuţa Rotar,
Andreea Dodan,
Vlad Mureşan,
Andruţa Elena Mureşan
Affiliations
Crina Carmen Mureşan
Department of Food Engineering, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, 3-5, Mănăştur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Romina Alina (Vlaic) Marc
Department of Food Engineering, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, 3-5, Mănăştur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Cristina Anamaria Semeniuc
Department of Food Engineering, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, 3-5, Mănăştur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Sonia Ancuţa Socaci
Department of Food Science, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, 3-5, Mănăştur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Anca Fărcaş
Department of Food Science, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, 3-5, Mănăştur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Dulf Fracisc
Faculty of Agriculture, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca 400372, 3-5 Calea Mănăştur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Carmen Rodica Pop
Department of Food Science, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, 3-5, Mănăştur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Ancuţa Rotar
Department of Food Science, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, 3-5, Mănăştur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Andreea Dodan
Department of Food Engineering, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, 3-5, Mănăştur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Vlad Mureşan
Department of Food Engineering, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, 3-5, Mănăştur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Andruţa Elena Mureşan
Department of Food Engineering, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, 3-5, Mănăştur Street, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
The evolution during ripening on the quality of Apuseni cheese was studied in this research. The cheese samples were controlled and evaluated periodically (at 4 months) during 16 months of storage (at 2–8 °C) for physicochemical parameters (pH, moisture, fat, fat in dry matter, total protein, ash, NaCl), microbiological (total combined yeasts and molds count (TYMC), total viable count (TVC), Escherichia coli, Staphylococcusaureus, Salmonella, lactic acid bacteria (LAB)), fatty acids (FA) and volatile compounds. For better control of the quality of the cheese, the storage space was evaluated for TYMC and TVC. The ripening period showed improved effects on the quality of the cheese, showing lower values for moisture and pH and an increase in macronutrients. Both the cheese samples and the storage space were kept within the allowed microbiological limits. Lipids are predominant, the predominant FAs being saturated fatty acids (SFAs), which decrease, while monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) increase. During ripening, the microbiological and chemical changes result in the development of flavor. Major volatile compounds such as 2-heptanone show accumulations, while acetophenone, limonene, or thymol show a decrease. In conclusion, Apuseni ripening cheese clearly involves a complex series of transformations, leading to a ripening cheese with improved nutritional and aromatic characteristics.
