In depth dynamic characterisation of French PDO Cantal cheese made from raw milk

Cantal is the third French Protected Denomination of Origin cheese. The Cantal cheesemaking process is similar to Cheddar cheese. Both processes involve a milling and a dry salting step which results in a homogeneous salted curd. In order to determine the key parameters of the manufacturing process acting on the specific characteristics of this cheese variety, an extensive and kinetic study repeated three times was carried out at nine stages from the raw milk to 120 d ripened cheese. The microbial ecosystem was explored by numeration and by direct extraction of DNA and PCR-Temporal Temperature Gradient Electrophoresis. Lysis of the lactic acid bacteria was checked by quantification of the intracellular lactate dehydrogenase activity. Carbon sources changes, solubilisation of minerals, proteolysis, lipolysis, and formation of neutral volatile compounds were also assessed. Cheese microstructure modifications and bacterial localisation were determined by confocal scanning laser microscopy. The controlled manufacturing conditions and the use of a complex mixture of starters led to very similar ripened cheeses. The compositional attributes (in particular total solids, fat, nitrogen forms), the lipolysis (0.7 +/- 0.2% fat) and proteolysis final extent (34.4 g.kg(-1) free amino acids in juice) were similar as well as major neutral volatiles compounds (2-butanone, ethanol and 2-butanol). Nevertheless, lactose and citrate metabolisms differed between the three trials and some free amino acids (Arg, Pro, Ser, Cit, Homocys) concentrations varied drastically during the ripening time course. CLSM micrographs showed that fat globules were disrupted during pressing and bacteria were preferentially localised at the fat/protein interface. As the lactic starter species were the same in the three trials and predominant during the cheese manufacture, the observed differences could result of one or several of the followings: (i) the raw milk microflora which showed to be different leading to growth or metabolism activity of particular subdominant populations during the process and the ripening; (ii) the more or less early lysis of the lactic starters; (iii) the possible interactions between raw milk microflora and the added starters. This extensive characterization of Cantal cheese provides a strong basis for building a rational concept of the key steps in which either technological actions or complementary microbial inoculation could be done in order to limit day to day variations.