CHANGES IN FREE FATTY-ACIDS DURING THE RIPENING OF IDIAZABAL CHEESE -INFLUENCE OF BRINING TIME AND SMOKING

The effect of brining time and smoking on the free fatty acid content of Idiazabal cheese during ripening was examined. The main free fatty acids considered underwent at least some increase during the first sta ge of ripening before day 90 and tended to level off around a constant value towards the end of the ripening period. There were significant differences in free fatty acid levels during ripening among cheeses wi th different brining times and between smoked and unsmoked cheeses. Br ining time and smoking exerted marked effects on lipolytic activity du ring cheese ripening, depending upon the free fatty acid involved and ripening time. In general, brining and smoking led to increases in fre e fatty acid levels at the end of the ripening period; the different b ehaviour of butyric acid may be due to a specific lipolytic activity.