Ectoine as a natural component of food: detection in red smear cheeses.
Ectoine is a compatible solute accumulated in halophilic bacteria in response to high salt concentrations and offers protection from osmotic stress. The occurrence of compatible solutes is widespread among bacteria, yet ectoine has never been detected in foods. The use of an ectoine producing microorganism (Brevibacterium linens) in the surface ripening of red smear cheeses led to the question whether ectoine can be found in cheese. Therefore we examined samples from a variety of cheese manufacturers and different types of red smear cheeses for the presence of ectoine using HPLC and HPLC/MS analysis. Ectoine solely appears in the rind and was detected up to 178 mg/200 g red smear cheese, depending on several factors like ripening status and conditions throughout the cheese production process (e.g. salt concentrations of used brine baths).
Klein
Julia
J
bitop AG, Stockumer Strasse 28, 58453 Witten, Germany.
Schwarz
Thomas
T
Lentzen
Georg
G
D000599:Amino Acids, Diamino / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D001951:Brevibacterium / Q000378:metabolism; D002611:Cheese / Q000032:analysis* / Q000382:microbiology; D013997:Time Factors
D000599:Amino Acids, Diamino; C045628:ectoine