Development of Medium Volatility Compounds in Manchego-type Cheese as Affected by Salt Content and Salting Method

The influence of salt content (normal and low content) and salting method (conventional brine immersion: BI and brine vacuum impregnation: BVI) on volatile compounds developed in Manchego-type cheeses was analysed. Volatile fractions of the cheeses were obtained at 1 and 3 months of ripening by simultaneous distillation–extraction (SDE) and analysed by capillary gas chromatography (GC) and combined GC and mass spectrometry. Identified compounds were 5 ketones, 5 fatty acids, 2 alcohols and 8 esters. A discriminant analysis showed that volatile profile made it possible to differentiate cheeses as a function of the salt content, especially when ripening progressed, after 3 months. The influence of salting procedure and the related differences in the initial salt distribution seem to have greater effect on cheeses with normal salt content and at 3 months ripening. This suggests that a critical salt level that could be present in the external part of BI pieces might influence the action of enzymes and micro-organisms responsible for volatile development.