Cheddar cheese lipolysis

Kheadr, E. E., J. C. Vuillemard, and S. A. El-Deeb. 2002. Acceleration of Cheddar Cheese Lipolysis by Using Liposome-Entrapped Lipases. Journal of Food Science 67 (2) 485-492. 

Salji, J. P. and Kroger, M. (1981). Proteolysis and lipolysis in ripening Cheddar cheese made with conventional bulk starter and with frozen concentrated direct-to-the-vat starter culture. ]. Food Sci. 46,1345-1348. 

Collins, Y.F., McSweeney, P.L.H., Wilkinson, M.G. 2003b. Evidence for a relationship between autolysis of starter bacteria and lipolysis in Cheddar cheese. J. Dairy Res. 70, 105-113. 

Lipolysis is considered to be undesirable in most cheese varieties. Cheddar, Gouda, and Swiss-type cheeses containing even a moderate level of free fatty acids would be considered rancid however, certain cheese varieties are characterized by extensive lipolysis (e.g., Romano, Parmesan, and Blue cheeses). Bills and Day (1964) quantified FFA ( 2 0 to Cj8 3) in 14 Cheddar cheeses with wide variations in flavor but found only small differences, qualitatively or quantitatively, between cheeses of different flavor. The... 

Enzymes derived from the stomach of suckling calves and lambs have been found to be largely responsible for the development of characteristic flavours of Italian cheese. The properties of these enzymes (Richardson and Nelson, 1967) and the chemic nature of their activities have been studied. The development of the goaty flavour of Italian cheese, for example, is attributed to the production of low molecular weight fatty acids in milk fat, presumably induced by fat lipolysis. The production of cheese flavour components such as diacetyls and acetoin is facilitated by esterases (Magee et al., 1981). Present day cheese manufacturing practices involve the addition of external esterases to augment the production of the desired flavours. Enzyme modified cheese products are employed to fortify or intensity cheddar cheese flavour in some formulations. 

Lactones have very low flavor thresholds (Kinsella et al, 1965). Jolly and Kosikowski (1975b) found that the concentration of lactones in Blue cheese was higher than that in Cheddar and concluded that the extensive lipolysis in Blue cheese influences the formation of lactones 5-Ci4 and 5-C16 were the principal lactones in Blue cheese (as found also for Cheddar) (Wong et al, 1973). A stronger typical Blue cheese flavor was found in cheeses containing added lipase, perhaps because lactones blend or modify harsher flavors. 

Of the three primary events in cheese ripening, i.e., glycolysis, lipolysis, and proteolysis, proteolysis is usually the rate-limiting one. Glycolysis is normally very rapid and is complete in most varieties within 24 hr therefore, acceleration of glycolysis is not of interest. The modification and catabolism of lactate is either of little or no consequence (e.g., Cheddar or Dutch varieties) or is quite rapid—2-3 weeks (e.g., Swiss types, Camembert)—and consequently its acceleration is not important. Lipolysis is limited in most cheese varieties, exceptions being some Italian varieties, e.g., Romano and... 

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