Free fatty acids and volatile compounds in low-fat Kefalograviera-type cheese made with commercial adjunct cultures

The effect of two commercial adjunct cultures, LBC 80 (Lactobacillus casei subsp. rhamnosus) and CR-213 (containing Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis and Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris) on lipolysis and the formation of volatile compounds in low-fat hard ewes' milk cheese of the Kefalograviera-type was investigated. Two controls, a full-fat cheese (30.6 g fat 100 g cheese(-1), 37.8 g moisture 100 g cheese(-1)) and a low-fat cheese (9.7 g fat 100 g cheese(-1), 48.6 g moisture 100 g cheese(-1), made using a modified procedure) were also prepared. The results indicated that the low-fat cheeses made using the adjunct cultures had significantly higher total levels of free fatty acid (TFFA) than the control low-fat cheese but significantly lower levels than the control full-fat cheese. Almost the same volatile compounds were identified in the four cheeses. The low-fat cheeses made with the adjunct cultures had higher levels of acetone, diacetyl and acetoin than the control low-fat cheese but lower levels than the full-fat cheese. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.