Influence of the ripening period on the content of macroelements and microelements in craft soft goat cheeses

The growing demand for cheeses as components of healthy nutrition is associated with minimal processing of raw milk and the preservation of biologically valuable constituents. These include soft cheeses such as Feta and Chevre , which are pr o duced from unpasteurized goat milk and therefore require assessment of quality and safety based on their mineral composition during ripening. The study was carried out using optical emission spectrometry. It was found that during the ripening of brined Feta cheese, the content of calcium, zinc, and iron did not change, while the levels of phosphorus (by 11.0%), sodium (by 23.5%), potassium (by 13.5%), magnesium (by 36.5%), manganese (by 2.32 times), molybdenum (by 1.95 times), and lead (by 21.4%) decreased. In contrast, by the 30th month of ripening, the content of copper in Feta cheese had increased by 2.04 times and cobalt by 1.54 times. Essential elements in Feta cheese were arranged by concentration as follows: Na > Ca = P > K > Mg > Zn > Fe > Mn = Cu > Mo > Co > Se. The accumulation of heavy metals, in particular aluminum, nickel, chrom i um, cadmium, and mercury, in Feta cheese did not depend on its age and did not reach the maximum permissible concentr a tions. According to their content in Feta cheese, heavy metals were distributed as follows: Al > Pb = Ni > Cr > Cd > Hg > As = Sb. The mineral composition of Chevre cheese, which ripens with the participation of white noble mold, significantly depen d ed on its age. On the 40th day of ripening, Chevre cheese showed an increase in the content of calcium (by 1.57 times), sodium (by 9.4%), potassium (by 22.1%), magnesium (by 1.47 times), iron (by 2.00 times), manganese (by 1.53 times), copper (by 1.52 times), and cobalt (by 1.45 times), against the background of stable levels of phosphorus, zinc, molybdenum, lead, nickel, chromium, and cadmium. Macro- and microelements in Chevre cheese were arranged in descending order of concentration as follows: Na > P > K > Ca > Mg > Zn > Fe > Mn = Cu > Mo > Co > Se. The aluminum content in Chevre cheese increased by 25.5%, and mercury by 38.5% by the 40th day of ripening. Concentrations of heavy metals in Chevre cheese decreased in the following sequence: Al > Pb > Ni > Cr > Cd > Hg > As = Sb. The content of selenium, arsenic, and antimony in both cheeses remained below the detection limit throughout the ripening period. The results of the study demonstrated that soft Feta and Chevre cheeses made from unpasteurized goat milk are characterized by a unique macro- and microelement composition, which confirms their biological value and safety with respect to heavy metal content. The mineral composition of craft goat cheeses Feta and Chevre may serve as one of the components of the criteria for their authenticity and the environmental well-being of the region.