INFLUENCE ON THE LIPASE CONCENTRATION AND SUBSTRATE ON THE LIPID PROFILE
AND SENSORY CHARACTERISTICS OF ENZYME-MODIFIED CHEESE
Abstract
Enzymatically modified cheeses (EMC) aim to achieve, in a shorter time
frame, a composition and sensory characteristics akin to those of aged
cheese. This study analyzed the lipid profile, composition, free fatty
acid (FFA) content, and sensory attributes of EMC pastes with the
objective of emulating the flavor profile of a red smear-ripened cheese
(SR). Two different smear ripened cheeses were utilized as references:
SR1, aged for 2–3 months, and SR2 aged for 10 months. Twelve
formulations of EMC were prepared using a fatty medium moisture cheese
corresponding to Mercosur’s Danbo type cheese (MD) as sole base, with
the addition of the two types of SR cheeses and enzymes including
exopeptidase, endopeptidase, and lipase, with varying concentrations of
the latter. The EMC formulations exhibited a different physicochemical
composition compared to the SR cheeses, with higher moisture, ash
content, lower fat, and protein content. The highest total FFA contents
were found in formulations with SR2, followed by formulations with SR1.
As the concentration of lipase increased in the formulations, a greater
degree of lipolysis was observed. Sensory profile was not influenced by
the concentration of lipase, but rather depended on the type of cheese
used as the base. All samples prepared with SR1 besides those prepared
with SR2 as the base cheese and the highest concentration of lipase,
exhibited sensory profiles more closely resembling that of lightly aged
SR1. The enzymatic modification of cheeses proved to be a useful tool
for generating sensory profiles similar to slightly aged SR cheese.