Spatial distribution of minerals and selected bioactive compounds in white mold-ripened and blue-veined cheeses

Drašler, Varineja (author), Kralj Cigić, Irena (author), Polak, Tomaž (author), Marolt, Gregor (author), Imperl, Jernej (author), Čanžek Majhenič, Andreja (author), Cigić, Blaž (author)

In this study, the contents of minerals, free amino acids (FAAs), biogenic amines (BAs), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and spermidine (SPD) were analyzed in selected white mold-ripened and blue-veined cheeses, including their spatial distribution between rind and core. Blue-veined cheeses contained higher levels of sodium, calcium, phosphorus, FAAs, and SPD. The BAs content was higher in cheeses produced from raw milk. Compared to the cores, the rinds of the analyzed cheeses contained more calcium (up to 66-fold), phosphate (up to 4.4-fold), zinc (up to 9.9-fold), and GABA (up to 17-fold). In white moldripened cheeses, where molds do not grow in the core, the rinds also contained more FAAs (up to 15-fold) and SPD (up to 127-fold). Our results confirm previous observations that the rinds of mold-ripened cheeses contain higher amounts of nutritionally valuable cations that form poorly soluble phosphate salts. To our knowledge, this study provides the first demonstration that the rinds of white mold-ripened cheeses are enriched in GABA and SPD, bioactive compounds associated with beneficial health effects. This highlights the high nutritional value of the outer layers of cheese produced with food-grade molds.

• Language: English
• Keywords: mold-ripened cheese, spatial distribution, minerals, spermidine, ▫$/gamma$▫-aminobutyric acid, rind, core
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 19.09.2025
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: 18 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 30, issue 18, [article no.] 3819
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-174220
• UDC: 637.1
• ISSN on article: 1420-3049
• DOI: 10.3390/molecules30183819
• COBISS.SI-ID: 249740547
• Publication date in RUL: 30.09.2025

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: mlekarstvo, siri, sir s plemenito plesnijo, bioaktivne sestavine, minerali