LIPOLYSIS IN GORGONZOLA CHEESE DURING RIPENING

Lipolysis during the ripening of cheese is usually evaluated hy determining the concentration of free fatty acids. In this research, the ripening of Gorgonzola (Italian blue-veined cheese) was investigated by measuring, in addition to the free fatty acids, the total and partial glycerides and the volatile compounds, using gas chromatographic techniques. The composition of triglycerides showed little variation during ripening. The fluctuation of values of partial glycerides may indicate a high turnover of these compounds during cheese ripening. The degree of lipolysis was shown by the increase in the concentration of free fatty acids during ripening. Some aroma components, characteristic of enzymatic processes of Gorgonzola cheese, were identified, and important changes were observed in the overall chromatographic profile as well as in the relative proportions of the compounds.