Effect of different thistle flower ecotypes as milk-clotting in Serra da Estrela cheese

Abstract

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.

Serra da Estrela cheese: A review

“…In the past, two decades ago, an approach used to improve the microbiological quality was to manufacture Serra da Estrela cheeses with addition of distinct starter cultures isolated from the native microbiota of raw milk cheeses; however, those cheeses exhibited a more acid and bitter flavors than the traditional cheese (Macedo et al, ). More recently, the sensorial properties of Serra da Estrela cheeses were evaluated in regards to the thistle ecotype used, production location, dairy, and ripening time having the cheese paste creaminess and the rind hardness presented significant differences in cheeses made by different producers and with different thistle ecotypes (Correia et al, ; Guiné et al, ).…”

“…The combination of these methods, RAPD‐SCAR can be used to prevent fraudulent Serra da Estrela PDO cheese production and be implemented as a quality control. Innovations are also associated with the possibility to manipulate the final texture/sensory profile of Serra da Estrela cheese mainly via the thistle ecotype selected (Correia et al, ; Guiné et al, ). The genotype evaluation of selected cardoons has been performed in order to improve the quality and standardization of cardosin profiles from cardoon flowers used for cheese production (Barracosa, Rosa, Barros, & Pires, ), having the different cardoon cultivars been morphologically evaluated (Barracosa, Oliveira, Barros, & Pires, ).…”

Plant Aspartic Proteases for Industrial Applications: Thistle Get Better

“…The evaluation of individual genotypes showed that the observed biodiversity is also reflected in the amount and type of APs present in the flowers of each genotype, with enzymes present in some genotypes and absent in others [16]. This variability was also found to affect the milk-clotting process, as the use of flower extracts from different thistle populations displayed different milk-clotting times, which ultimately affected cheese manufacturing and the rheological and sensorial characteristics of the final product [17,18]. Thus, the use of thistle flower extracts as milk-clotting agents is dependent upon the presence and specific activities of different APs.…”

Influence of Cardoon Flower (Cynara cardunculus L.) and Flock Lactation Stage in PDO Serra da Estrela Cheese

“…Serra da Estrela (SE) cheese is a Portuguese traditional agro-food product with Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), manufactured only from raw ewe's milk (exclusively from Serra da Estrela sheep), cardoon flower (Cynara cardunculus L.) and salt [1][2][3]. SE cheese is perceived as a unique high-quality food product with great economic importance [4,5], highly appreciated for its strong aroma, slight bitterness and semi-soft texture [6]. The cheese final properties are dependent on a variety of parameters, including the characteristics of used ingredients and processing factors.…”