Proteolytic and lipolytic changes during the ripening of a Spanish craft goat cheese (Armada variety)

The proteolytic and lipolytic changes during the ripening process were investigated in four batches of Armada goat's milk cheese (an artisanal variety produced in the North of Spain), by determining the classical nitrogen fractions, caseins and their degradation products, free amino acids, as well as the acidity of the fat, thiobarbituric acid (TBA) number and free fatty acids. Values obtained for the nitrogen fractions and for caseins and their degradation products show that this cheese undergoes very little protein degradation. A low free amino acids content was observed throughout the ripening process with a predominance of Pro followed by Leu+Ile, Glu acid, Phe, His+Lys and Val. The lipid degrada‐tion was very intense from the second month of ripening, only comparable to that reported for cheeses ripened by moulds. The average free fatty acids content increased 20‐fold during ripening, reaching final values of 44·5 g kg−1. All the free fatty acids increased considerably during ripening, resulting in a predominance of saturated and unsaturated long‐chain acids, followed by medium‐chain acids, C10 principally. Short‐chain fatty acid content by the end of ripening was higher than that presented in other cheese varieties with a similar high degree of lipolysis. © 1997 SCI.