FATTY-ACID COMPOSITION OF THE TRIGLYCERIDE AND FREE FATTY-ACID FRACTIONS IN DIFFERENT COWS-MILK, EWES-MILK AND GOATS-MILK CHEESES

The fatty acid composition of the triglyceride fraction and the individual and total free fatty acids in different cows-, ewes- and goats-milk cheeses were analysed. The highest total free fatty acid levels were recorded in blue cheeses (Roquefort: 26.0 g/kg; Cabrales: 57.3 g/kg) and in the aged Manchego cheese (32.4 g/kg), followed by those in hard cheeses manufactured using unpurified rennet pastes containing pregastric esterases (Parmesan: 13.7 g/kg; Majorero: 20.8 g/kg). These samples had sharp flavours. The soft cheeses with surface flora presented moderate levels of free fatty acids (Camembert: 5.1 g/kg; de la Vera: 9.9 g/kg). The remaining cheeses considered (Mahon: 8.7 g/kg; Roncal: 8.2 g/kg; Tetilla: 5.8 g/kg; Idiazabal: 5.6 g/kg) also exhibited moderate levels of lipolysis. A comparison of the fatty-acid profiles for the two fractions studied yielded higher contents for the short-chain fatty acids in the free fatty acid fraction, except in the blue and goats-milk cheeses.