Effects of reduced-sodium brine on the physicochemical, textural and flavor characteristics of sheep cheeses during maturation

Reducing sodium in ripened cheese is challenging due to its important role in developing flavor and texture. This study investigated the influence of brine containing 20% NaCl, 10% NaCl + 10% KCl, 10% NaCl, and 5% NaCl + 5% KCl on the physicochemical and textural properties, microorganisms, and volatile compounds of sheep cheeses during their maturation. The moisture, ash, and salt content of 60 d cheeses salted with NaCl/KCl were higher than that of cheeses brined with NaCl only, and the former cheeses had lower pH values. The presence of KCl in mature cheeses significantly reduced their cohesiveness, and the reduction of NaCl by 50% enhanced their springiness and chewiness when compared with 20% NaCl. The 60 d-old cheese brined with 5% NaCl + 5% KCl had the lowest springiness, cohesiveness, and resilience. Cheeses brined with NaCl/KCl had a higher number of colonies, including Lactococcus, than those salted with NaCl only. A total of 45 volatile compounds were identified using gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS), and the flavor of 60 d-old cheese brined with 5% NaCl + 5% KCl was close to that of cheese brined with 20% NaCl. Therefore, cheese brined with 5% NaCl + 5% KCl could be developed as a reduced-sodium one with good quality to satisfy the demand for lower-sodium foods.