The influence of ripening time on the physicochemical characteristics of craft hard goat cheeses

The unique taste characteristics of craft hard cheeses made from raw goat milk, ripened using mites Acarus siro L., have contributed to increasing consumer demand enable the assessment of their quality and authenticity. In this study, 15 heads of Alpine and Yoghurt cheeses each weighing 4.5-5.0 kg were produced from raw goat milk and allowed to ripen for 12 and 18 months, respectively. Both cheeses were ripened with natural surface colonization by the mites Acarus siro L. It was found that the moisture content of Alpine cheese decreased from 43.31 on day 7 to 28.99% at 12 months of age, and the moisture content of Yoghurt cheese decreased from 46.90% on day 7 to 29.99% at 18 months. Moisture loss in both cheeses was strongly dependent on ripening time. The protein content in craft hard cheeses increased with age: from 21.45% to 28.68% in Alpine cheese and from 20.52% to 29.52% in Yoghurt cheese. Corresponding to the increase in dry matter content, fat content also increased in both varieties: from 24.45% to 31.50% in Alpine cheese and from 22.06% to 29.91% in Yoghurt cheese. A characteristic feature of both cheeses was the formation of holes, the size and distribution of varied with ripening duration. The hardness of Alpine and Yoghurt cheeses decreased with age, while the fracturability increased, reaching a minimum in the oldest cheeses, a change closely related to moisture loss. The rind of old-ripened Alpine and Yoghurt cheeses exhibited an amber color of varying intensity, with small verrucae due to the activity of the mite Acarus siro L. The observed changes in the physicochemical characteristics of young, mature, and old-ripened artisanal cheeses made from raw goat milk can serve as criteria for assessing their quality, age, and authenticity. Production of such cheeses contributes to diversifying the product range and enhancing the market competitiveness of premium goat cheeses.