MICROSTRUCTURAL, COMPOSITIONAL AND TEXTURAL PROPERTIES DURING RIPENING OF LIGHVAN CHEESE, A TRADITIONAL RAW SHEEP CHEESE

Abstract

ABSTRACT The physiochemical characteristics, microstructure and texture of Lighvan cheese were investigated over a 90‐day ripening period. The moisture content of the cheese decreased during storage and the salt‐in‐moisture ratio increased during this period. The most important biochemical change of the Lighvan cheese during aging was the extent of proteolysis. The water‐soluble nitrogen to total nitrogen ratio increased significantly during ripening. This microstructural study suggested that the size and number of pores increased significantly and the dense microstructure with large protein aggregates converted to a casein network with more homogenous aggregates. The degree of proteolysis caused the hardness of the ripened cheese to decrease during aging. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Limited work has been done on Lighvan cheese, a traditional Iranian cheese, which ripens in deep natural or man‐made caves for 3–4 months at an average temperature of 10–12C. Reducing ripening time is desirable for the producer. This study identified some of the physiochemical, microstructural and textural changes during cheese aging in brine. Precise recognition of cheese changes during aging provides essential information for ripening characteristics control and reducing ripening time.