Tardiolo Giuseppe, Di Salvo Eleonora, Tringali Simona, Bartolomeo Giovanni, Genovese Claudia, Furfaro Maria Elena, Sutera Anna Maria, Virga Antonino Nazareno, Cicero Nicola, Zumbo Alessandro
Department of Biomedical, Dental Sciences, Morphological and Functional Imaging, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria 1, 98125 Messina, Italy.
Institute for Agriculture and Forestry Systems in the Mediterranean, National Research Council of Italy, Via Empedocle 58, 95128 Catania, Italy.
Foods. 2025 Apr 29;14(9):1566. doi: 10.3390/foods14091566.
Caciocavallo Silano PDO is a traditional Italian stretched-curd cheese produced in southern Italy, subjected to a minimum ripening period of 30 days. The present study aimed to characterize the chemical composition and fatty acid (FA) profile at three ripening stages (up to 120 days). The proximate composition, FAs profile, and lactose content of cheese samples from three production batches, all made with Friesian cow milk, were analyzed. The results showed significant compositional changes during maturation. Moisture content decreased from 46.5% in 30 days to 33.0% in 120 days, with a corresponding increase in protein and fat content. Lactose content was below the limit of quantification (LOQ) at all ripening stages, confirming its natural depletion over time. The FA analysis revealed thirty-five different FAs, including fourteen saturated fatty acids (SFAs), nine monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), and twelve polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Among SFAs, palmitic and stearic acids were the most abundant, while lauric and myristic acids significantly increased with ripening. The sum of MUFAs showed a slight decrease, mainly due to the reduction in oleic acid, which dropped from 22.6% to 21.3% over maturation. Conversely, PUFAs exhibited a significant increase, particularly linoleic and α-linolenic acids, which are associated with positive health effects. In particular, an increase in PUFA composition and an optimal omega-6/omega-3 ratio could have a positive effect on health, with a consequent enhancement of cardiovascular function. The findings suggest that cheese maturation influences its nutritional and lipid profile, with potential implications for consumer health. Future research should assess how feeding strategies and production methods impact the FA composition of Caciocavallo Silano PDO.
西拉诺卡乔卡瓦洛受保护的原产地名称（PDO）奶酪是一种产于意大利南部的传统拉伸凝乳奶酪，最短成熟期为30天。本研究旨在表征三个成熟阶段（最长120天）的化学成分和脂肪酸（FA）谱。分析了来自三个生产批次、均用弗里斯兰牛奶制成的奶酪样品的近似成分、脂肪酸谱和乳糖含量。结果显示，成熟过程中成分发生了显著变化。水分含量从30天时的46.5%降至120天时的33.0%，蛋白质和脂肪含量相应增加。在所有成熟阶段，乳糖含量均低于定量限（LOQ），证实其随时间自然消耗。脂肪酸分析显示有35种不同的脂肪酸，包括14种饱和脂肪酸（SFA）、9种单不饱和脂肪酸（MUFA）和12种多不饱和脂肪酸（PUFA）。在饱和脂肪酸中，棕榈酸和硬脂酸含量最高，而月桂酸和肉豆蔻酸随着成熟显著增加。单不饱和脂肪酸的总量略有下降，主要是由于油酸减少，在成熟过程中从22.6%降至21.3%。相反，多不饱和脂肪酸显著增加，尤其是亚油酸和α-亚麻酸，它们对健康有积极影响。特别是，多不饱和脂肪酸组成的增加和最佳的ω-6/ω-3比值可能对健康有积极影响，从而增强心血管功能。研究结果表明，奶酪成熟会影响其营养和脂质谱，对消费者健康可能有潜在影响。未来的研究应评估饲养策略和生产方法如何影响西拉诺卡乔卡瓦洛PDO奶酪的脂肪酸组成。
