Isolation and identification of some major peptides in the ethanol-soluble fraction of the pH 4·6-soluble extract from Manchego cheese

Abstract

Proteolysis is one of the major biochemical events which takes place during cheese ripening and its degradation products, amino acids and peptides, have a considerable influence on the sensory characteristics of cheese (Urbach, 1993). Primary proteolysis leads to the formation of large water-insoluble peptides and smaller water-soluble peptides. Several peptides from bovine milk cheeses have been isolated and identified, particularly from Cheddar cheese (e.g., McSweeney et al. 1994; Singh et al. 1994, 1995, 1997; Gouldsworthy et al. 1996; Fernández et al. 1998). However, there are few data available on the identification of peptides from ewes’ milk cheeses, although Michaelidou et al. (1998) identified some major peptides in the water-soluble fraction of Feta cheese (ewe's milk cheese).