71A-15

B. L. GADIYARAM¹, K. Kantimahanthi², and Y. W. Park¹. (1) Agricultural Research Station, Fort Valley State Univ., 1005 State University Drive, Fort Valley, GA 31030-4313, (2) Agricultural Research Station, Fort Valley State University, Fort Valley, GA 31030-4313

The finer flavor and texture of cheese is developed by the interplay of three biochemical events: proteolysis, lipolysis, and glycolysis. Fatty acids are important flavor compounds in most aged cheeses, which are formed during storage by hydrolytic lipolysis in cheese fat. Frozen storage, although not in industrial common practice, could be a viable alternative to overcome the seasonality of marketing dairy goat products. The study was to determine fatty acid compositions of plain soft (PS) and Monterey Jack (MJ) goat milk cheeses as affected by refrigerated and frozen storage. Three batches of commercial PS cheeses were purchased, and three batches of MJ cheese were manufactured at the university dairy plant. Each lot of the two cheeses was divided into four subsamples. One subgroup was immediately stored at 4 °C for 0, 14, and 28 days as the fresh nonfrozen control, and the other three subsamples were frozen and stored at -20 °C for 0, 3, and 6 mo, subsequently thawed the next day at 4 °C, then stored at 4 °C for 0, 14, and 28 days. Lipids were extracted from all samples, and fatty acid profiles were analyzed by gas chromatography (Shimadzu; GC 17-A). Ten different short- and medium-chain fatty acids were identified in both goat cheeses. Nine long-chain and three trans-unsaturated fatty acids (C16:1, C18:2, and 9-cis 11-trans octadecenoic acid:CLA) were also quantified. Significant (P < 0.05 or 0.01) differences were found between PS and MJ cheeses in levels of C12:0, C14:0, C15:0, C16:0, C16:1, C17:0, C17:1, C18:0, C18:2, C18:3, and C20:4. Relatively few numbers of fatty acids were affected by 6 mo frozen storage, while batch effect was significant for many acids. Frozen storage had relatively low influence on changes in fatty acid profiles in the two goat cheeses, indicating this preservation method has a great potential for extending the storage life of goat cheeses.

Session 71A, Dairy Foods: General
8:30 AM - 12:00 PM, Tuesday AM Room Hall I-2

2005 IFT Annual Meeting, July 15-20 - New Orleans, Louisiana