The effect of cysteine on production of volatile sulphur compounds by cheese-ripening bacteria

• Published in: International journal of food microbiology Vol. 122; no. 3; pp. 321 - 327
• Main Authors: del Castillo-Lozano, M. López, Mansour, S., Tâche, R., Bonnarme, P., Landaud, S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 20.03.2008; [Amsterdam; New York, NY]: Elsevier Science; Elsevier
• Subjects: Arthrobacter; Arthrobacter - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Brevibacterium; Brevibacterium - metabolism; Brevibacterium linens; Cheese - microbiology; cheese ripening; cheese starters; Cheese-ripening microorganisms; cheeses; Colony Count, Microbial; cysteine; Cysteine - metabolism; Cysteine - pharmacology; Disulfides - analysis; Disulfides - metabolism; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; food composition; Food industries; Food Microbiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; hydrogen sulfide; l-cysteine; l-methionine; methionine; Methionine - metabolism; Milk and cheese industries. Ice creams; Odorants - analysis; odors; off odors; Polysulfides; sensory properties; Sulfides - analysis; Sulfides - metabolism; sulfur; sulfur compounds; Sulfur Compounds - analysis; Sulfur Compounds - metabolism; Thioester; thioesters; volatile compounds; Volatile sulphur compounds; Volatilization; l-methionine; Cheese-ripening microorganisms; Thioester; Brevibacterium; l-cysteine; Polysulfides; Arthrobacter; Volatile sulphur compounds; Volatile compound; Cheese ripening; Cysteine; Methionine; L-methionine; Dairy product; Aminoacid; Production; Bacteria; L-cysteine; Microorganism
• ISSN: 0168-1605; 1879-3460
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2007.12.025

The effect of cysteine on the ability of smear cheese-ripening bacteria ( Brevibacterium linens and Arthrobacter spp) to produce volatile sulphur compounds (VSC) from methionine was studied. These bacteria were cultivated in a synthetic medium supplemented with various cysteine concentrations with or without methionine. Cultures with only cysteine showed slightly lower levels of VSC produced and an unpleasant odour like rotten eggs, resulting from hydrogen sulphide production. The levels and profiles of VSC produced with supplemented methionine–cysteine mixtures had strain-dependant behaviours. However, the highest levels of dimethyl disulfide, dimethyl trisulfide and dimethyl tetrasulfide were observed when increasing the cysteine concentration from 0.2 to 1.0 gl − 1 at the same methionine concentration (1.0 gl − 1 ). In contrast, production levels of thioesters, especially S-methylthio acetate, were reduced by 50 and 80% under such conditions. An initial sensory approach showed that such an effect could have a strong impact on the global odour of ripened cheeses.