The influence of ripening duration on the mineral composition of craft hard goat cheeses

The production of craft goat cheeses is becoming increasingly widespread worldwide and in Ukraine's domestic market. A distinctive feature of such hard goat cheeses is their production from unpasteurised milk, which imparts a unique combination of flavour, aroma, and beneficial microflora. In addition, goat milk cheeses are a source of nutritional and biologically active compounds, including macro- and microelements, as well as potentially toxic contaminants, including heavy metals. This involves controlling their accumulation during the ripening process and assessing quality and safety. The study employed craft hard goat cheeses, namely Alpine and Yoghurt varieties, made from unpasteurised goat milk, which ripen with the involvement of Acarus siro mites for 12 and 18 months, respectively. Optical emission spectrometry was used to study the mineral composition of cheeses. During ripening, an increase in the content of macroelements (Ca, P, Na, K, Mg) and microelements (Zn, Fe, Mn, Cu, Mo, Co) was detected in Alpine and Yoghurt cheeses. In terms of the level of accumulation in Alpine and Yoghurt cheeses, the series of macroelements took the following form: Ca > P > Na > K > Mg, and microelements, respectively: Zn > Fe > Mn = Cu > Mo > Co > Se. In addition to essential elements, during the ripening process of Alpine and Yoghurt cheeses, heavy metals accumulated in the following order: Al > Pb = Ni > Cr > Cd > Hg > As/Sb, but their content did not exceed the permissible regulatory values. Research results indicate that hard craft goat cheeses, Alpine and Yoghurt, are a safe source of essential elements for the human body, and their mineral composition can serve as a component of geographical and ecological criteria for craft production.