proximal composition, color and lipid quality of fresh and matured blue cheese

Blue cheese is considered fresh at 35 days of maturation. This same cheese can be denominated gorgonzola type after 90 days of maturation, when it will be able to undergo variations in its physical and physical-chemical characteristics. The aim of this study was to compare the variations in the color and physico-chemical composition characteristics of fresh and mature blue cheese, as well as to determine the lipid quality indexes. Three replicates of the same batch of Blue cheese (0 day) were separated, which were submitted to the color analyses (L*, a*, b*), physicalchemical (moisture, ashes, proteins, lipids, carbohydrates and sodium) and fatty acid profile. The other portions of blue cheese were submitted to the maturation process under the same conditions of temperature and relative humidity of the air. For the mature cheese samples (45 days), the same analyzes were carried out for comparison effect and initial characteristics change. The results showed that the maturation process of the cheese interfered and altered the color, especially by the development of the fungus acquiring intense green coloration. In the physical-chemical parameters, the percentages of humidity, ashes and sodium showed significant changes. The fatty acid profile revealed significant alterations in the percentage of fatty acids, sums, ratios and indexes of lipid quality giving to mature cheese a greater atherogenic and thrombogenic potential.