Alkaline Phosphatase Survey in Pecorino Siciliano PDO Cheese

Abstract

The determination of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in cheeses has become an official method for controlling cheeses with a protected designation of origin (PDO), all of which use raw milk. PDO cheeses, characterized by high craftsmanship, usually have an uneven quality. However, for these cheeses, it is necessary to establish ALP values so that they can be defined as a raw milk product. In this study, a dataset with Pecorino Siciliano PDO samples was analyzed to determine ALP both at the core and under the rind. The results showed that there was no significant difference between the different zones in Pecorino cheese. A second dataset of 100 pecorino cheese samples determined that ALP was only at the core of the cheese. Moreover, there was a statistically significant difference between the ALP values of cheeses produced with raw milk and those produced with pasteurized milk. Furthermore, according to the temperatures, a wide variability of ALP values was observed in the Pecorino Siciliano PDO samples from the core of the cheeses. This was a result of several under scotta whey cooking methodologies adopted by cheesemakers, which do not permit a clear range. Therefore, further investigation is desirable.

The Quality of Five Natural, Historical Italian Cheeses Produced in Different Months: Gross Composition, Fat-Soluble Vitamins, Fatty Acids, Total Phenols, Antioxidant Capacity, and Health Index

“…Pecorino Siciliano cheese is made using traditional wooden equipment and technology, as reported briefly in Table 1 . The Pecorino Siciliano PDO manufacturing technology is described by Todaro et al [ 5 ].…”

Protective Effect of Alkaline Phosphatase Supplementation on Infant Health

“…ALP activity was highest in human colostrum and then decreased with the increase in lactation time [159]. Some studies have found that ALP activity remains in heat-processed cheese [160,161].…”

Microbial Ecology of Pecorino Siciliano PDO Cheese Production Systems

“…The curd is broken to reduce the size of the coagulum to the dimension of rice grains, and syneresis is facilitated by the addition of hot water at a temperature of 70-90 • C. The curd is then placed in moulding rattan baskets where it is pressed firmly to facilitate draining of the whey. The rattan baskets containing the curds are placed in the wooden vat or in a steel tank and coated with hot deproteinized whey (~80 • C) for cooking for approximately 3-4 h [9,10]. The curd is then removed from the rattan baskets, dried at ambient temperature for 24-48 h and salted in saturated brine or by manual dispersion of salt onto the cheese surfaces.…”