Changes of free fatty acids and diglycerides during maturation of Ciauscolo

The lipolysis evolution have been studied in Ciauscolo, a typical sausage from the Italian region of Marche and Umbria whose characteristic is the ability to be spread. Samples have been collected at production and after 1, 3, 10, 20, 30, and 45 days. Microbiological (lactic bacteria, coagulase-negative cocci, yeasts) and chemical analyses (total and free fatty acids and diglycerides determinations) have been performed at each time. As shown by viable counts, the lactic acid bacteria content was much larger than coagulase-negative cocci and yeast content. Concerning the total fatty acid (TFA) composition, monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) were the most abundant followed by saturated (SFA) and polyunsaturated ones (MUFA). This peculiarity gives to Ciauscolo some nutritional advantages with respect to other sausage product. A high lipolytic activity was demonstrated by the increase in free fatty acids (FFA) and diglycerides (DG), which reached the maximum value after 30 days of maturation. FFA composition showed a distribution different from that of TFA: SFA were the most abundant followed by MUFA and PUFA. Diglycerides containing 34, 36 and 32 atoms of carbon were found in a decreasing order of concentrations. During maturation, FFA and DG contents showed an exponential correlation caused by the major production of FFA. The high production of FFA, precursors of the aroma compounds as a consequence of the oxidation processes, could contribute to the development of the sensory characteristics of Ciauscolo.