title: Study of proteolysis in river buffalo mozzarella cheese using a proteomics approach.
abstract: The guarantee of the origin and quality of raw material is essential for the protection and valorization of Campana buffalo mozzarella cheese. The risk of utilization of semifinished products and stored milk in substitution for fresh milk is increasing, due to the continuous desire to reduce production costs. A proteomics approach and electrophoresis survey of retail mozzarella cheeses indicated different rates of proteolysis in the production of dairy industries. The use of fresh milk and correct cheesemaking protocol yielded only γ-caseins, which are derived from β-casein by plasmin, and para-κ-casein, which is derived from κ-casein by chymosin. The detection of abnormal hydrolysis resulting in β- and αS1-casein fragments, identified by mass spectrometry, indicates the use of stored milk or stored and pressed curd, or the reuse of unsold mozzarella cheese, to produce mozzarella. The formation of γ-caseins and other fragments during a long storage of raw materials at room or refrigeration temperature was ascribed to plasmin (endogenous milk enzyme), whereas formation of αS1-casein fragments, mainly αS1-I(6P)- and αS1-I(7P)-casein during the storage of curd was ascribed to the action of chymosin (exogenous enzyme) from rennet. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-PAGE and alkaline urea-PAGE permitted us to evaluate the freshness of the raw materials used in the manufacturing of buffalo mozzarella cheese and to reveal possible inappropriate preservation.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, degli Alimenti e dell'Ambiente, Università di Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Petrella
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, degli Alimenti e dell'Ambiente, Università di Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pati
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, 80055 Portici (NA), Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gagliardi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile, Ambientale, del Territorio Edile e di Chimica (DICATECh), Politecnico di Bari via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rizzuti
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile, Ambientale, del Territorio Edile e di Chimica (DICATECh), Politecnico di Bari via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mastrorilli
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, degli Alimenti e dell'Ambiente, Università di Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: la Gatta
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, degli Alimenti e dell'Ambiente, Università di Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy. Electronic address: aldo.diluccia@unifg.it.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Luccia
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002020:Buffaloes; D002364:Caseins / Q000378:metabolism; D002611:Cheese / Q000032:analysis*; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D012085:Chymosin / Q000378:metabolism; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005341:Fibrinolysin / Q000378:metabolism; D005511:Food Handling; D061353:Food Storage; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D059748:Proteolysis; D040901:Proteomics; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry
chemical_list: D002364:Caseins; C025350:rennet; D005341:Fibrinolysin; D012085:Chymosin
keywords: curd freshness; molecular marker; mozzarella; primary proteolysis; proteomic approach