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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Purpose – Thistle flower( Cynara cardunculus) aqueous extracts, as rich source of milk-clotting
peptidases, have been widely used for cheeses marketed under the Registry of the Protected
Designation of Origin, as it is the case of Serra da Estrela cheese, manufactured from raw ewes’ milk and
without addition of any commercial starter culture. This paper aims at studying the influence of six
different ecotypes of thistle flowers in cheese properties during the ripening and of final products.
Design/methodology/approach – Cheeses were produced with different thistle flower extracts and
then the clotting time, weight and colour of cheeses, as well as texture properties and sensorial
characteristics, were evaluated.
Findings – The clotting time varied from 47 to 66 min, and the weight loss along ripening varied
between 32 and 40 per cent. There was some influence of thistle flower ecotype on the colour during
ripening and in the final product. The results of texture analysis revealed significant differences
between the thistle ecotypes: crust firmness varying from 2.4 to 5.6 N; inner firmness from 0.82 to 1.82
N; stickiness from 0.5 to 1.60 N; adhesiveness from 3.0 to 11.3 N.s; and Ecotype C was
particularly distinguishable. Sensorial evaluation revealed differences among the cheeses, with
Ecotype C receiving the highest score for global appreciation.
Originality/value – The usage of different extracts of thistle flower to produce Serra da Estrela
cheese with different properties is a novelty, and it allows the possibility of manipulating this parameter
in the future so as to produce cheeses with specific characteristics, addressed to different consumer
targets.
Description
Keywords
colour sensorial analysis Serra da Estrela Cheese Texture Analysis Thistle Flower