Contents lists available at ScienceDirect LWT - Food Science and Technology journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/lwt Volatile compounds and amino acid profle of short-ripened farmhouse cheese manufactured from the milk of the White-Backed native cow breed Anna Teter a , Joanna Barłowska a , Jolanta Król a , Aneta Brodziak a , Jaroslawa Rutkowska b,∗ , Zygmunt Litwińczuk c a Sub-Department of Food Safety and Regional Products, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13, 20-950, Lublin, Poland b Institute of Human Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Human Nutrition, Warsaw University of Life Sciences (WULS-SGGW), Nowoursynowska St.159c, 02-776, Warsaw, Poland c Institute of Animal Breeding and Biodiversity Conservation, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13, 20-950, Lublin, Poland ARTICLEINFO Keywords: Volatile compounds Amino acids Microbiological safety Farmhouse cheese White-Backed cow ABSTRACT The study aimed at assessing the composition, including the profle of volatile compounds and amino acids, of farmhouse cheese manufactured from the raw milk of the White-Backed native cow breed during four stages of ripening (0, 7, 14 and 21 days). Throughout the ripening period the cheese samples were distinguished by high nutritional value (protein content 22.5%; content of essential amino acids 48 g/100 g protein on average). Slight enhancement of non-essential amino acids content resulted only due to increased presence of glutamic acid during ripening period. A total of 33 volatile compounds were identifed in the headspace of the cheeses. Seven compounds namely, acetic acid, 2-butanone, 3-hydroxy-2-butanone, hexanal, ethanol, toluene, and ethyl hex- anoate, were detected in substantial amounts in cheese samples from days 7–21 of ripening and can be con- sidered key compounds in this type of cheese. The absence of food pathogens is an indication of the high quality of farmhouse cheese manufactured from the milk of the White-Backed cow breed. In conclusion, the presence of this type of cheese on food market should attract consumers looking for traditional food, which in turn could improve the economic situation of small, family-owned farms rearing White-Backed cattle. 1. Introduction Recent years have seen an increase in interest in traditionally manufactured cheeses, which consumers associate with high quality, particularly naturalness, the absence of additives, and health benefts. The manufacture of traditional local food products is associated with protection of animal health and welfare, environmental conservation, preservation of biodiversity, and sustainability (Manzo et al., 2019). Traditional cheeses in Poland are produced on small farms, usually those rearing cows of native breeds covered by a genetic resources conservation programme. In Poland there are four native breeds of cattle: Polish Red, Polish Black-and-White, Polish Red-and-White, and White-Backed. Milk from cows of local breeds included in the genetic resources conservation programme is nutritionally more valuable than milk from highly productive breeds and has properties favourable for processing (Adamska, Rutkowska, Tabaszewska, & Bialek, 2014; Król, Litwińczuk, Brodziak, & Sawicka-Zugaj, 2010; Litwińczuk, Barłowska, Chabuz, & Brodziak, 2012; Wolanciuk, Barłowska, Litwińczuk, & Florek, 2016). The manufacturing process of this type of cheese is associated with long traditions passed down from generation to gen- eration, often characteristic of a single region. In Europe regional cheeses are manufactured from milk obtained from local cattle breeds e.g. 20% milk used for the Provolone del Monaco cheese comes from Agerolese breed and 80% milk from diferent cattle breeds (Manzo et al., 2019). Due to the specifcity of manufacture, many traditional cheeses have been included on the European or national list of regional and traditional products. One of the oldest cheeses with the PDO des- ignation (Protected Designation of Origin) and under EU protection is the Italian cheese Parmigiano-Reggiano (Zannoni, 2010). The combination of volatile compounds (VCs) and their interactions infuences aroma and taste, which together constitute cheese favour (Bertuzzi, McSeeeney, Rea, & Kilcawley, 2018). The unique favour of diferent kind of cheese is the result of complex interactions of a wide variety of compounds originating from numerous chemical and bio- chemical reactions, involving proteins, fats and carbohydrates (Bertuzzi et al., 2018). This results in the formation of new compounds, such as free fatty acids, esters, ketones, aldehydes, alcohols, terpenes and lac- tones. Their formation is associated with the action of enzymes found in https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2020.109602 Received 13 February 2020; Received in revised form 20 April 2020; Accepted 12 May 2020 ∗ Corresponding author. E-mail address: jaroslawa_rutkowska@sggw.edu.pl (J. Rutkowska). LWT - Food Science and Technology 129 (2020) 109602 Available online 12 May 2020 0023-6438/ © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. T