Volatile profile evolution of Reggianito cheese during ripening under different temperature–time combinations

Using solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry procedure, volatile compounds were studied during ripening of Reggianito cheeses stored under different temperature–time combinations. Volatile profile was characterised for cheeses ripened under standard conditions at 0, 61, 124 and 180 days of ripening, and changes occurring between 61 and 180 days were evaluated for cheeses in which an elevated temperature of 20 °C was applied within the first month of maturation. A total of 41 volatile compounds including acids, ketones, aldehydes, esters, alcohols and hydrocarbons were identified. Despite the presence of other compounds of potential relevance for cheese flavour, carboxylic acids clearly dominated the volatile profile of Reggianito cheeses. The more notable variations in the volatile fraction of Reggianito cheeses occurred during the first 2 months of ripening and were mostly explained by changes observed for the predominant acid fraction. Significant changes in the quantities for some volatile compounds were observed for the different temperature–time combinations applied, though the balance between the different groups of compounds was not considerably affected and small changes were observed for total chromatographic area values. In this work, a first description of changes occurring during ripening for the different volatile compounds present in traditional Reggianito cheese was provided.