Characterization of Nitrogen Fractions During Ripening of a Soft Cheese Made from Ultrafiltration Retentates

Nitrogen fractions of a soft cheese made from UF retentates were used to characterize the ripening of the cheese. Whole milk was fractionated, using UF and diafiltration to a retentate concentration factor of five times. Control and experimental soft, white cheeses were made from whole milk and UF retentate, respectively. Both cheeses were ripened at 8C for 21 d and analyzed at 7-d intervals. Nitrogen fractions were separated and discontinuous PAGE was used to characterize total protein and whey protein. A ripening extension index related to rennet activity was determined based on the ratio of soluble N to total N. A ripening depth index related to starter peptidase activity was determined by the ratio nonprotein N/total N. Increases in ripening extension index and ripening depth were higher (48.45 and 18.56%, respectively) in UF cheese than in regular cheese (41.06 and 17.11%, respectively). The N fractions soluble in 20% sodium sulfate were composed mainly of bovine serum albumin, /3-1actoglobulin A and B, and a-lactalbumin in fresh and ripened UF cheese. Whey protein N represented about 17 and .5% of total N in UF and regular cheese, respectively. No significant breakdown was detected in the whey protein N fraction in the UF cheese.