Graduate Student Literature Review: History, technologies of production, and characteristics of ricotta cheese

A Comparison of the Physicochemical Properties and Sensory Attributes of Ricotta Cheeses Purchased from Retail Outlets in Poland

The aim of this study was to compare selected physicochemical properties and sensory attributes of ricotta cheeses supplied by different producers and purchased from retail outlets in Poland. The experiment was performed on 40 fresh, unripened ricotta cheeses purchased from hypermarkets in the city of Olsztyn, Poland. The cheeses were supplied by four producers. To preserve the producers' anonymity, the cheeses were divided into four experimental groups marked with the letters A, B, C, and D. Each group consisted of 10 cheeses supplied by the same producer. Immediately after purchase, the cheeses were transported to a laboratory for quantitative and qualitative analyses to determine their moisture contents, active and titratable acidity, shear force, color parameters (L*, a*, b*), chroma (C*), hue angles (h°), whiteness indexes (WIs), yellowness indexes (YIs), and sensory quality. The analyses revealed that the cheeses supplied by producers C and D were characterized by the highest moisture contents and the lowest titratable acidity and shear force values. The ricottas supplied by producer A were characterized by the highest values for lightness on the surface, whereas the group B cheeses were characterized by the highest contribution of redness and yellowness, as well as the highest color saturation (chroma). The contributions of redness and yellowness, chroma, and YI values were highest at the cross-sections of the group B cheeses. The cheeses supplied by producer D were characterized by visible spaces between grains, cracks, and a brittle, crumbly consistency, and they received the lowest scores for appearance at the cross-section for structure and consistency.

Ricotta cheese quality as affected by season

This study evaluated the seasonal impact of feeding systems on the quality traits of cow ricotta cheese produced in semi-extensive farms in Sicily. The research compared ricotta cheese produced during the pasture season (PS) with that from the dry season (DS), analyzing fatty acid (FA) profile, carotenoid and vitamin content, antioxidant capacity, volatile organic compounds (VOC), and color attributes. Results indicated significant improvements in the nutritional quality of PS Ricotta cheese, including higher concentrations of CLA (+45%), total PUFA (+17%), and beneficial MUFA, as well as reduced atherogenicity (-10%) and thrombogenicity (-16%) indices in comparison with DS Ricotta samples. Additionally, PS Ricotta cheese exhibited a more intense yellow color, correlated with increased β-carotene levels compared with DS cheese (5.04 vs. 0.73 mg/g, respectively), as well as distinct VOC profiles reflecting pasture-based feeding. These findings highlighted the potential of PS Ricotta cheese as a possible nutrient-rich food and underlined its value for targeted marketing strategies based on enhanced nutritional and sensory attributes. Furthermore, these findings highlight the potential of pasture-fed ricotta cheese to be positioned as a premium, health-focused dairy product. Although this study offers valuable insights, additional research is needed to examine the long-term storage effects on the nutritional stability of PS Ricotta cheese, as well as consumer sensory preferences and willingness to pay for pasture-fed dairy.

Reduction of PDO Pecorino Siciliano cheese making duration: Microbial dynamics and quality attributes deriving from replacing whey permeate with hot water during cooking

This work was carried out with the aim to reduce the transformation duration of Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) Pecorino Siciliano cheese. To this purpose, the cooking in hot water (experimental production, EXP) was compared to the traditional cheese cooking under whey permeate (control production, CTR). The microbiological composition of under rind (UR) and core (Co) section of CTR and EXP cheeses was determined by a combined culture-dependent and -independent approach. Total mesophilic microorganisms and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) present in raw ewes' milk (5.0 log CFU/mL) increased during cheese making and reached values of about 8.0 log CFU/g in both sections (UR and Co) of 5-month ripened cheeses of both productions (CTR and EXP) monitored. The identification of the viable LAB populations in ripened cheeses showed that Enterococcus, Lacticaseibacillus, Lactiplantibacillus, Levilactobacillus, Limosilactobacillus and Streptococcus dominated UR and Co sections of all cheeses. MiSeq Illumina analysis demonstrated that LAB populations (lactobacilli, lactococci and streptococci) dominated the bacterial community of cheeses at 95.63-98.41 % of relative abundance. The two different cooking operations did not influence the physicochemical characteristics of PDO Pecorino Siciliano cheeses. Sensory evaluation performed by artificial senses analysis and trained panelists confirmed that the modification of PDO Pecorino Siciliano cheese production protocol did not significantly affect product characteristics and overall acceptance. Thus, data of this work confirmed that cooking under hot water allowed to reduce transformation duration and safeguard typicality of PDO Pecorino Siciliano cheese.

Red Onion Peel Powder as a Functional Ingredient for Manufacturing Ricotta Cheese

Onion (Allium cepa L.) is a vegetable widely cultivated and consumed due to its rich content in bioactive compounds. Red onion peel (ROP) powder, which is a by-product derived from the onion industry, has been attracting significant interest as a potential functional ingredient for improving the overall quality of foods. The present study explores the potential of ROP powder as a functional ingredient to improve the quality and nutritional value of whey cheese. Despite being frequently viewed as a food processing waste byproduct, ROP is a rich source of bioactive substances, including antioxidants, flavonoids, and dietary fiber, having antioxidant and antibacterial effects. The ROP extract exhibited high amounts of total polyphenols (119.69 ± 2.71 mg GAE/g dw) and antioxidant activity (82.35 ± 1.05%). Different quantities (1 and 3%) of ROP powder were added to cheese formulations, and the subsequent impact on the texture characteristics, sensory attributes, and phytochemical composition of the value-added cheeses was evaluated. The findings show that the addition of ROP powder improved the texture and the color of the cheeses, providing a visually appealing product. Additionally, adding the ROP powder significantly raised the amount of phytochemicals and antioxidant activity (17.08 ± 0.78 µmol TE/g dw for RCROP1, 24.55 ± 0.67 µmol TE/g dw for RCROP2) in the final product's formulation. Moreover, adding powder to cheese is an effective way to increase the value of onion by-products and produce polyphenol-enriched cheese.

Enhancing date seed phenolic bioaccessibility in soft cheese through a dehydrated liposome delivery system and its effect on testosterone-induced benign prostatic hyperplasia in rats

INTRODUCTION

The consumption of dairy products, including soft cheese, has been associated with numerous health benefits due to their high nutritional value. However, the phenolic compounds bioaccessibility present in soft cheese is limited due to their poor solubility and stability during digestion. So, this study aimed to develop an innovative soft cheese enriched with date seed phenolic compounds (DSP) extracted ultrasonically and incorporated into homogeneous liposomes and study its attenuation effect on testosterone-induced benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in rats.

METHODS

Date seed phenolic compounds were extracted using 98 and 50% ethanol along with water as solvents, employing ultrasonication at 10, 20, and 30-min intervals. The primary and secondary DSP-liposomes were prepared and dehydrated. The particle size, zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency, and morphology were measured. Incorporating dehydrated liposomes (1-3% w/w) into soft cheese and their impact on BPH using male Sprague-Dawley rats was assessed. After inducing BPH, rats were fed a cheese diet with dehydrated DSP-liposomes. Over 8 weeks, parameters including nutrition parameters, prostate enlargement analysis, biochemical parameters, hormones level, oxidative stress, and cytokines were analyzed.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The results showed that ultrasound-assisted extraction effectively reduced the extraction time and 30 min extraction EtOH 50% was enough to extract high yield of phenolic compounds (558 mg GA/g) and flavonoids (55 mg qu/g) with high antioxidant activity (74%). The biological results indicate that prostate weight and prostate index% were diminished in the treatment groups (1 and 2) compared to the BPH control group. The high antioxidant content present in the DSP-liposomes acted as the catalyst for suppressing the responses of the inflammatory cytokines, inhibiting the anti-inflammatory IL-10 production, and suppressing the elevated levels of lipid peroxidation products compared to the BPH group.

CONCLUSION

The treatment group (2) supplemented with dehydrated secondary DSP-liposomes exhibited the most significant variance (p < 0.05) as opposed to the BPH group. Liposomal encapsulation was proved to be a feasible approach for administering DSP in soft cheese, thereby establishing new functional food category possessing prophylactic properties against the advancement of BPH in rats.

Characterization of artisanal saffron ricotta cheese produced in Sicily: Physicochemical, microbiological, sensory, and antioxidant characteristics

The present study aims to characterize the artisanal saffron ricotta cheese produced from the whey of Piacentinu Ennese protected designation of origin (PDO) cheesemaking, including via technological parameters detected during the production process and by assessment of the main physicochemical, microbial, sensory, and antioxidant characteristics. A survey on the manufacture process of saffron and control ricotta cheese was conducted on 3 farms, located in the production area of the Piacentinu Ennese PDO cheese. pH and temperature followed a specific behavior, characterized by an inverse trend where pH decreased and temperature increased, playing an important role in the production process. All the analytical parameters were affected by the presence of saffron, also showing high between-farm variability, with significantly higher total solids and fat contents in saffron ricotta cheese compared with the control cheese (28.68% vs. 23.86%, and 19.83% vs. 14.22%, respectively). Microbial analysis showed significantly lower values in saffron compared with control ricotta cheese, for coliforms (1.51 vs. 1.91 log10 cfu/g, respectively), yeasts (1.55 vs. 2.06 log10 cfu/g, respectively), and molds (1.03 vs. 1.30 log10 cfu/g, respectively), denoting potential reduction of microbial growth asserted by saffron. Escherichia coli concentration (1.26 log10 cfu/g) in saffron ricotta cheese was in accordance with EU Regulation 2073/2005 and then safe for consumption. The presence of saffron influenced all sensory attributes, particularly color and aroma. Interestingly, high total antioxidant activity was found in saffron ricotta cheese (372 µC) compared with the control cheese. Thus, this artisanal dairy production could be considered a suitable option for functional foods with antimicrobial properties, due to the presence of saffron, which may contribute to extend the shelf life of the product. Further studies need to focus on the bioactive compounds that affect the antioxidant proprieties, characterization of the microbiota of saffron ricotta cheese, and evaluation of consumers' acceptance and perception as well as market demand.