License open-access, :. License open-access :. The content of the Journal is available free of charge and there are no publication charges. Email: baracm agrif. Kupres cheese is a traditional Bosnian full-fat hard cheese. This paper deals with the change of protein and fatty acid profiles, mineral content and antioxidant potential during the period of three months of its ripening.
Proteolysis was monitored by the electrophoresis of total extracts and water-soluble fractions under reducing conditions, whereas fatty acid profiles were determined by gas chromatography. The mineral content in the ripened cheeses was determined by using methods of Inductively coupled plasma - optical emission spectrometry ICP-OES for microelements and Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry ICP-MS for microelements, respectively.
Ripening of Kupres cheese during three months is characterised by a relatively slow proteolysis, especially during the first month and by the increase in desirable fatty acid content. Three month-old cheese had improved indexes of lipid quality as well as improved reducing power and ability to scavenge free radicals. Ripening affected the content of Ca, P and Na whereas no significant changes of the other macro- and microelements of Kupres cheese were observed.
Cheese is an almost irreplaceable component of the human diet. From the nutritional point of view, cheese is a good source of high quality proteins, easy digestible fat, some vitamins and minerals. Furthermore, numerous studies Pritchard et al.
It is well known that numerous factors, including type and quality of milk, cheese processing method which in turn depends on cheese variety, significantly influence its properties. For the most of the cheese varieties, ripening is the major phase of cheese production, during which specific sensory and nutritive characteristics are formed. Ripening as a complex dynamic phase includes chemical, microbiological and biochemical changes of the major cheese compounds.
