Research Article Volatile profile of Conciato Romano cheese, a traditional Italian cheese, during ripening Nicola Caporaso, Valentina Armento and Raffaele Sacchi Department of Agriculture, University of Naples Federico II, Portici (NA), Italy The aim of this paper was to characterize the complete volatile profile of Conciato Romano cheese, a traditional Italian product aged in a mixture of olive oil, wine, and spices, and its modification during ripening, by using SPME sampling and GC/MS analysis of volatiles and considering the rind and body parts separately. Seventy-six volatile compounds were identified, belonging to chemical classes of acids (8), aldehydes (3), alcohols (14), esters (36), ketones (9), hydrocarbons (1), and terpenes (5). Acids and esters represented the most important chemical classes and are originated from lipolysis and hydrolysis of triglycerides. Aging caused dramatic changes in volatile compounds, particularly on the cheese rind, where the amount of esters, acids, alcohols, and ketones was found particularly abundant at 8 months of aging. Interesting differences were found in volatile headspace composition depending on the external or inner parts. The higher complexity in volatile profile of aged cheese was attributed both to the aging process and tanning mixture. Sensory analysis resulted in higher perception of “sweet” and “stickiness” and significantly lower olfactory persistence in fresh product, while higher values for “salty,”“spicy,” and “persistent” were found in aged ones. Practical applications: The results of our research can be useful to deepen knowledge of cheese volatile compounds and for a better understanding of the interactions between cheese aging and the use of a particular tanning mixture (olive oil, red wine, and spices), used in the Conciato Romano cheese. It can be used for a chemical characterization of the peculiarity found from sensory assessment of this cheese, as well as for control organisms, if further research would confirm the presence of volatile compounds as molecular markers. Finally, industry can take advantage of our research for possible future certifications of Conciato Romano as a Protected Designation of Origin. Keywords: Cheese aroma / Conciato Romano / Lipolysis / SPME-GC/MS analysis / Typicality Received: March 30, 2014 / Revised: October 16, 2015 / Accepted: January 16, 2015 DOI: 10.1002/ejlt.201400153 1 Introduction “Conciato Romano” cheese is a typical characteristic dairy product with a very small production area in Caserta province, Campania (Southern Italy). It is considered the most ancient cheese of Italy and despite its name it is an ancient product of the Samnium communities, as its production technique was reported to derive from the ancient knowledge of shepherds of these lands. The origin of the name “conciato” refers to the washing and tanning liquid made with extra virgin olive oil, red wine, thyme, and pepper, reported by Apicium in De re coquinaria [1]. Conciato is a mixed raw milk cheese made from goat, sheep, and cow's milk. Milk is filtrated and it is heated until optimal coagulation temperature is achieved. Then, natural goat rennet or vegetable rennet is added. After 2h, the curd is cut and collected, placed in the “molds” without excessive pressing. The salting process follows, and the cheese drying takes about 10–20 days or more, depending on the climate. Once dried, the cheeses are “tanned” (conciate), which consists in a treatment using a mixture of olive oil, wine, and aromatic herbs, and finally the cheese is stored in contact with this mixture. After tanning, cheeses are placed in clay vessels or glass containers and stored in the dark. The vessels are moved periodically (every 30 days) to ensure uniformity of ripening, for an aging period of almost 6 months and up to 2 years. Traditional cheeses may have an important niche in global market, and sensory attributes are an important tool Correspondence: Nicola Caporaso, Food Science and Technology Unit, Department of Agriculture, Via Universit a 100, Parco Gussone Ed. 84, Portici (NA) 80055, Italy E-mail: nicola.caporaso3@unina.it Fax: þ39-081-7752817 Abbreviations: PDO, protected designation of origin; SPME-GC/MS, solid-phase micro-extraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry Eur. J. Lipid Sci. Technol. 2015, 117, 0000–0000 1 ß 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim www.ejlst.com