Chemical Composition and Occurrence of Mycotoxins in Six Blue-Mould-Ripened Cheeses in Egypt

Chemical composition (fat, moisture, protein, salt, titratable acidity, and pH), proteolysis (free amino acids), lipolysis (total volatile fatty acids and free fatty acids), and some mycotoxins were determined in all cheese samples studied. Saint Agur was characterised by its high concentrations of total protein (22.04%), total amino acids (5.21mg/g), fat (33.79%), and TVFA (25.3 ml NaOH/100 mg cheese) and lowest concentrations of salt (2.41%) and moisture (40.20٪). Bleu d’Auvergne, had a pH around 6.0, and the highest concentrations of salt in moisture (8.0%), soluble nitrogen (51.98%), moisture (47.09%) and salt (3.76%) of all cheeses investigated. Bleu d’Auvergne had the lowest fat content (28.42%) and TVFA (20.1 ml NaOH/100mg cheese) of all the cheeses studied.
Cheese samples were analyzed for seven mycotoxins (Roqurfortine C, Mycophenolic acid, Penicillin acid, Aflatoxin G1, AflatoxinM1,AflatoxinB1,AflatoxinB2).RoqurfortineCwasdetectedin allof thebluemouldcheesesamples in concentrations of 1.6-14 μg kg-1. Two blue-cheese samples (Saint Agur and Moby blue) contained also 0.35 and 0.47 μg kg-1 mycophenolic acid, respectively. Penicillic acid was detected (0.12, 0.41 and 0.53-1 μg/ kg) in Gorgonzola, Saint Agur and Moby blue, respectively. AflatoxinG1,aflatoxinM1,aAflatoxinB1 andaflatoxinB2were not detected in the tested cheeses, this is likely to be due to best manufacturing practises applied in the cheese production, and at the same time the storage conditions are all strictly controlled in order to avoid mould contamination and aflatoxinsformation.