Study of the Flavor of Bread Adding Parmigiano-Reggiano

Abstract

Natural cheeses differ depending on the kind of milk and microorganisms used, as well as the conditions under which the cheese is matured. This study attempted to clarify the flavor components of bread containing Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. We studied 32 components of model cheeses, including amino acids, fatty acids and organic acids. In order to identify the flavor-active components of the cheese bread, we performed omission and addition tests. The flavor of the cheese bread was affected by sodium glutamate, valine, methionine, isoleucine, leucine, phenylalanine, proline, and butyric acid. A principal component analysis identified the first principal component to be “rich flavor of cheese”, the second to be “baked flavor of bread”, the third to be “fermented flavor”; the overall flavor of the cheese bread comprised a balance of these flavor properties. Aldehydes and alcohols were increased by adding valine, methionine, isoleucine, leucine and phenylalanine. We considered that these compounds were formed due to yeast fermentation and the Maillard reaction. Bread to which these eight components were added had a bigger specific volume and softer crumbs than bread to which Parmigiano-Reggiano was added. The components that contributed most to the flavor of the cheese bread were clarified, and we were able to make good quality cheese bread without using real cheese.