Biochemical pathways for the production of flavour compounds in cheeses during ripening: A review

Free access article

Issue		Lait Volume 80, Number 3, May-June 2000


Page(s)		293 - 324
DOI		http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/lait:2000127

DOI: 10.1051/lait:2000127

Lait 80 (2000) 293-324

Biochemical pathways for the production of flavour compounds in cheeses during ripening: A review

Paul L.H. McSweeney - Maria José Sousa

Department of Food Science and Technology, University College, Cork, Ireland

(Received 5 February 1999; accepted 4 October 1999)

Abstract:

The principal pathways for the formation of flavour compounds in cheese (glycolysis, lipolysis and proteolysis) are reviewed. Depending on variety, microflora and ripening conditions, lactate may be metabolized by a number of pathways to various compounds which contribute to cheese flavour or off-flavours. Citrate metabolism by citrate-positive lactococci or Leuconostoc spp. is important in certain varieties (e.g., Dutch cheeses). Lipolysis results directly in the formation of flavour compounds by liberating free fatty acids (FFA). FFA may also be metabolized to alkan-2-ones and fatty acid lactones. Proteolysis of the caseins to a range of small- and intermediate-sized peptides and free amino acids (FAA) probably only contributes to the background flavour of most cheese varieties, but FAA are important precursors for a range of poorly-understood catabolic reactions which produce volatile compounds essential for flavour.

Keywords: cheese / flavour / volatile flavour compound

Résumé:

Principales voies métaboliques conduisant à la production de composés aromatiques au cours de l'affinage (revue). Cet article passe en revue les principales voies métaboliques (glycolyse, lipolyse, protéolyse) conduisant à la formation de composés d'arômes dans les fromages. Selon les types de fromage considérés, la microflore et les conditions d'affinage, le lactate peut être transformé en de nombreux métabolites contribuant aux arômes du fromage ou produisant des défauts de flaveur. Le métabolisme du citrate réalisé par les espèces de lactocoques citrate-positives ou par Leuconostoc ssp. est d'une grande importance dans certains fromages, notamment de type Gouda. La lipolyse conduit directement à la formation de composés d'arômes résultant de la libération d'acides gras. Les acides gras libres peuvent également être transformés en alcan-2-ones et lactones. La protéolyse des caséines en peptides de différentes tailles (courts et intermédiaires) et en acides aminés libres ne contribue probablement qu'à la production d'arômes communs à la plupart des fromages, mais les acides aminés libres sont d'importants précurseurs d'une grande variété de réactions cataboliques encore mal élucidées, qui produisent des composés volatils essentiels pour la flaveur.

Mots clé : fromage / arôme / composé volatil

Correspondence and reprints: Paul L.H. McSweeney
Tel.: 353 21 90 20 11; fax: 353 21 27 00 01; e-mail: pmcs@ucc.ie

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