EVOLUTION OF FREE FATTY-ACID PROFILE DURING RIPENING IN CHEESES MANUFACTURED FROM BOVINE, OVINE AND CAPRINE MILKS WITH EXTRACTS OF CYNARA-CARDUNCULUS AS COAGULANT

Changes in the concentrations of free fatty acids (FFA) in bovine, ovi ne and caprine milk cheeses manufactured with a plant rennet (flowers of Cynara cardunculus) were studied throughout a 68-day ripening perio d. The long-chain saturated (C16:0 and C18:0) and unsaturated (C18:1, C18:2, and C18:3) FFA were the most abundant at all stages of ripening . The overall concentration of FFA in fresh cheese was 3598, 3538 and 3868 mg/kg cheese for bovine, ovine and caprine milk cheeses, respecti vely; these values increased to 5047, 6517 and 5257 mg/kg cheese, resp ectively, by 68 days, of which 1171, 1734 and 1791 mg/kg cheese, respe ctively, were accounted for by C4:0-C12:0. The FFA that showed the hig hest fractional increase by 68 days of ripening in bovine milk cheese were C4:0, C6:0, C8:0, C12:0, C18:1 and C18:2; in ovine milk cheese th ey were C4:0, C6:0, C8:0, C10:0, C14:0, and C18:1; and in caprine milk cheese they were C4:0, C8:0, C10:0, C14:0 and C18:1.