Umami taste and its relationship with proteolysis and maturation time in cheeses: a review

Abstract

Cheeses are food consumed in different parts of the world since antiquity, mainly for their nutritional values and characteristic flavors. During maturation, specific aromas, flavors, and textures are developed due to biochemical changes. Factors such as ingredient composition, degradation, and catabolism that occur during maturation generate a diversity of compounds that are related to the sensory quality of cheeses, which is governed by three biochemical pathways: glycolysis, lipolysis, and proteolysis. Among them, proteolysis can be considered the most complex, as it involves several chemical and enzymatic reactions that are essential for the flavor and acceptance of these products. It is also responsible for releasing short peptides that generate important basic tastes. Major contributors to the perception of umami taste, discovered over a century ago in Japan, are the salts of glutamic acid and an extensive list of amino acids resulting from the proteolysis of milk casein. With this review, it is expected to understand the influence of proteolysis in the formation of the flavor of cheeses, mainly in the perception of umami taste.