Significance of furosine index in Taleggio cheese making

the furosine (FUr) level of taleggio cheese was investigated with respect to different cheese-making parameters used in 11 factories. taleggio made from raw milk according to traditional cheese-making and submitted to continuous-flow pasteurization (72°- 74°c/15 s) had a mean FUr level of 8.1 mg/100 g protein (n=6). this level was mainly affected by the amount of starter culture, composition of growth medium and ripening time. When additional batch heat treatment was applied to pasteurized milk, the corresponding cheese showed a FUr value about 2 mg/100 g protein higher. A further significant increase was observed in cheese samples manufactured from milk heated by injecting steam through a pipe (mean value 20.3 mg/100 g protein; n=5). In these cases, the major effect on the FUr level was exerted by processing conditions used in batch or steam heating of the milk. Analyses of commercial taleggio cheese demonstrated that 21 out of 22 samples had a FUr value consistent with the cheesemaking technology described in the product specifications.