The effect of ripening with different mold types on Izmir Tulum Cheese's aroma formation

In this study, İzmir Tulum cheeses produced from cow's milk and classified into salted and unsalted groups were ripened with Penicillium roqueforti and Penicillium camemberti molds. The ripening process was carried out under conditions of 70–75% relative humidity and 8–10 °C, with the first 21 days under aerobic conditions and the subsequent 90 days under anaerobic conditions. The effects of employing Penicillium mold species during the ripening of İzmir Tulum cheese on the ripening period, chemical and physical characteristics, and aroma profile were investigated. Furthermore, the effects of salt and oxygen factors on the ripening performance of the molds, as well as the resulting changes in İzmir Tulum cheese, were examined. Analyses of pH, water activity (aw), color (L*, a*, b*), and texture profile analysis (TPA) parameters were conducted on day 0, 7, 14, and 21 of ripening and at the end of the 90-day anaerobic ripening period. Additionally, dry matter, lactic acid, fat, salt, protein, aroma compounds, color difference (ΔE*), free fatty acids, free amino acids, organic acid content, and ripening index were analyzed on day 0, 21 of ripening and at the end of the 90-day anaerobic ripening period. The pH values of the samples ranged between 6.00 and 6.96; aw values between 0.706 and 0.791; L* values between 67.23 and 76.88; a* values between 0.64 and 1.65; b* values between 14.88 and 18.95; and ΔE* values between 3.30 and 13.76. The dry matter content ranged from 55.95% to 58.01%; lactic acid from 0.55% to 1.06%; fat from 23.55% to 25.34%; salt from 0.24% to 2.86%; and protein from 25.18% to 27.08%. Total free amino acid concentrations were between 84.63 and 616.47 mg/kg, organic acids between 2,728.02 and 326,865.39 mg/kg, and ripening index values between 30.16% and 68.49%. Texture parameters were determined as follows: hardness 990.21–4,435.17 g, springiness 1.50–9.49 mm, gumminess 919.93–4,359.83 g, internal adhesiveness 0.92–1.05, external adhesiveness –1.13 to –9.86 g•s, cohesiveness 0.23–0.82, and chewiness 1,962.50–20,237.09 g•mm. The free amino acids identified in İzmir Tulum cheese included arginine, serine, glycine, alanine, proline, valine, threonine, methionine, isoleucine, leucine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, histidine, and tryptophan. The results obtained demonstrate that the use of Penicillium mold species in the ripening of İzmir Tulum cheese has the potential to shorten the ripening period compared to traditional methods and may enable more economical production through innovative and sustainable practices. The findings indicate that İzmir Tulum cheese, a geographically indicated product, may achieve a distinctive and internationally distinctive flavor profile as a result of enrichment with Penicillium molds. The introduction of this product to the market is considered to have significant potential in terms of sustainable cheese production and the development of value-added products.