Effect of red wine soaking on the microbiological profile, total phenolic content and sensory aspects of an ovine pressed cheese

The aim of this study was to produce an ovine pressed cheese with high polyphenol content. To this purpose, fresh Primosale Pecorino cheese was soaked for seven days in Nero d’Avola wine (NDW) and was indicated as experimental cheese production (EP). The final cheese was characterized for its microbiological, chemical and sensory characteristics. Specifically, cheese making was performed with pasteurized ewes’ milk and a commercial starter culture. Control cheese production (CP) did not include the soaking phase in NDW. Plate counts confirmed the dominance of the commercial starter until 109 CFU/g in both CP and EP cheeses. The soaking in NDW increased cheese total phenolic compounds (TPC) of 0.36 g GAE/kg. Sensory evaluation indicated that EP cheese was mostly appreciated by the panelists. This work indicated that soaking in NDW represents a promising strategy to produce a fresh ovine cheese with a high TPC content well appreciated by consumers.