Evolução das características físico-químicas e da maturação

ABSTRACT
This work was carried out to monitor the evolution of the physicochemical characteristics of
cheese represent two of the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) from “Beira Baixa” cheese,
the Amarelo cheese and Picante cheese, produced in a plant recognized its production. This
assessment was complemented by studying the evolution of some parameters characterizing the
maturation.
In addition to the assessment of physical and chemical characteristics of the cheese used in the
definition contained in the regulations of the PDO, based on levels of fat and moisture,
parameters such as acidity, pH, nitrogen fractions were considered as well as some relationships
between them, as features of characterization of the cheese repening. Some parameters were
also used to characterize the ripening-related metabolism of fat and lactate (acidity of the fat and
free fatty acids), important aspects with regard to sensory characteristics of cheese, which are
much less used in the characterization of these products, often because the complexity involved
in their analytic determination.
This study describes two analytical techniques (the method of salts and the method of resin)
applied to the determination of free fatty acids in the “Beira Baixa” PDO (protected designation of
origin) cheeses, Amarelo cheese and Picante from cheese in order to choose the best suited to
achieving the best analytical results. This selection was based primarily on the recovery rates
obtained for the different acids studied by two methods.
The assessment of physical and chemical characteristics was also made along the ripening
period in Picante Cheese and Amarelo Cheese.
The samples were collected at 5, 30 and 45 days for Amarelo Cheese and at 45, 90 and 120
days for Picante cheese.
Based on the results obtained during the evolution of the physicochemical characteristics and
free fatty acids, the evolution of glycolysis, proteolysis and lipolysis monitored. The results
showed the differences between the Amarelo cheese and Picante cheese. Considering previous
date, the results suggest that the recent production technologies could generate differences on
cheese properties.
Keyword: Picante Cheese, Amarelo Cheese, Cheese ripening, Proteolysis, Free fatty acids.
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