CHARACTERIZATION OF THE 12-PERCENT TRICHLOROACETIC ACID-INSOLUBLE OLIGOPEPTIDES OF PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO CHEESE

The isolation and identification of low molecular mass peptides formed during the ripening of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese is described. A strategy was used based on the fractionation of nitrogenous material using chemical methods followed by HPLC to isolate peptides and fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometry to identify them. It was found that the majority of cheese oligopeptides arose from the proteolysis of beta-casein. Several phosphopeptides and oligopeptides known in vivo to be biologically active have also been identified during the ripening of cheese.