Grana Padano cheese : thermoanalytical techniques applied to the study of ripening

Abstract In the present work, modifications of water–matrix interactions in Grana Padano (GP) cheese were studied using thermogravimetric techniques in order to provide an index of ripening. These techniques represent a simple and rapid method for determining water content and for monitoring its behaviour in ripening GP cheese. It is possible to evaluate the quantity of water present in the matrix, as well as the different types of water bound to it both qualitatively and quantitatively. Samples of traditional GP cheese produced in the winter season (same day), and collected at different ripening stages (5,10,14,19 months), were investigated. When statistical models of the STARMAX (Space Time Autoregressive Moving Average eXogenous variables) class, augmented with surface trends, were fitted to thermoanalytical data, valuable insights into the chemical nature of the ripening were acheived with good predictive performances.