Diacetyl, acetoin, 2,3-butyleneglycol, 2-butanone and 2-butanol concentrations in ripening Cheddar cheese

Abstract

SummaryDiacetyl, acetoin, 2,3-butyleneglycol, 2-butanone and 2-butanol concentrations have been determined in ripened Cheddar cheese made usingStreptococcus diacetilactisDRC1 orStr. cremorisAM2or HP as starter culture. Diacetyl content was found to be initially higher in the DRC 1 cheese than in the other 2 cheeses, presumably because this starter readily ferments citrate. The disappearance of acetoin appears to be related to the formation of 2,3-butyleneglycol in DRCl and AM2cheeses, but not in HP cheese. Only trace amounts of 2-butanone and 2-butanol were observed in the 3 cheeses even though the concentration of a postulated precursor, 2,3-butyleneglycol, was present in considerable concentration in the DRC1 and AM2cheeses. Analysis of a number of mature AM2and HP cheeses selected at random indicated the presence of 2-butanone in only a few of the AM2cheeses. It is suggested that this compound may have arisen from the presence of a micro-organism which entered the cheese vat at the time of cheese-making.