Determination of composition, calcium partition and calcium bioaccessibility in marketed Minas Padrão cheeses

Abstract

Cheeses have a prominent position among dairy products due to their high lipid, protein and mineral content. This work aimed to evaluate twelve Minas Padrão cheeses marketed in Juiz de Fora. The analyzes were carried out when the cheeses were between 15 days and 30 days of manufacture in order to evaluate the composition constituents of relevance for classification in the Technical Regulation of Cheese Identity and Quality, to evaluate the hydrogen ionic potential (pH), calcium distribution (fractions of total calcium, calcium in the aqueous phase and free calcium) and bioaccessibility of calcium. The mean values found were: 42.4 ± 3.8 % w/w moisture; 22.5 ± 1.4 % w/w protein; 26.7 ± 1.9 % w/w of fat; 46.3 ± 2.7 % fat in the dry matter; 687 ± 86 mg/100g of total calcium; 482 ± 139 mg/100g of calcium in the aqueous phase; 99.3 ± 10.7 mg/100 mL of free calcium; 37.1 ± 13.5% of bioaccessibility of calcium; 5.14 ± 0.20 pH value. The lack of a Brazilian regulation for Minas Padrão cheese makes it difficult to characterize the product. In relation to the calcium, most of this mineral present in the cheese is in its aqueous phase, associated with the salts. The bioaccessible content of calcium in commercial Minas Padrão cheeses varies widely, by different causes. This paper contributes to value nutritionally this kind of cheese and present data in order to improve the Technical Regulation of Cheese Identity and Quality he Minas Padrão cheese, through the unprecedented characterization of this food in terms of content, partition between phases (aqueous and free) and bioaccessibility of calcium.

Keywords

• disponibilidade
• qualidade
• mineral.