Parmesan peptides

Fractionation and identification of the small water-soluble peptides in cheese varieties is much less advanced than for Cheddar. Although not fractionated systematically, a large number of 12% TCA-soluble and -insoluble peptides were identified in water extracts of Parmesan by Addeo... 

When the presence of 3-casomorphins was examined in commercial cheese products, no peptides were found or their concentration in the cheese extract was below 2 4g/ml (Muehlenkamp Warthesen, 1996). 3-casomorphins 5, -6, -7 and their precursors were identified in various types of cheeses, e.g. Swiss, Elsberg, Cheddar, Gouda, Feta, Blue, Brie, Parmesan and Crescenza (Addeo et al., 1992 Jarmolowska, Kostyra, Krawczuk, Kostyra, 1999 Sabikhi Mathur, 2001 Smacchi Gobbetti, 1998). 

Thr, Glu-Gly, Glu-Ser, Ala-Glu, Gly-Glu, Gly-Glu-Gly, Glu-Glu, and Glu-Asp were found. These polar peptides were reported to elicit a savory umami taste [7,27-29]. Frerot and coworkers [30] identified small peptides in Parmesan cheese. They observed that tripeptides such as Glu-Leu-Glu or Glu-Asp-Phe consisting of a hydrophobic amino acid residue and at least one acidic and one either acidic or hydrophilic amino acid residue impart mouthfeel and umami taste to foods and could replace MSG to some extent. Van den Oord and van Wassenaar [31], however, discuss glutamyl di- and tripeptides controversially and generally question the existence of glutamate-like-tasting peptides. 

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