Nutritional Aspects of Cheese

Summary

Cheese is widely regarded as a nutritious food and this has contributed to its enduring popularity amongst consumers. The nutritional composition of cheese varies between different types but, in general, cheese is high in fat, saturated fat and also contains cholesterol. Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and phytanic acid are two fatty acids found in cheese which have reported health benefits. The protein content of cheese ranges from 3 to 40 %. Several peptides, formed by the hydrolysis of proteins during cheese production, have demonstrated biological activities including antihypertensive, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Cheese is a good source of vitamin A, riboflavin and vitamin B₁₂ and, due to its high-fat content, cheese is suitable for fortification with vitamin D. Cheese is a particularly good source of bioavailable calcium and has also been successfully fortified with iron, zinc and selenium. There is an association between cheese consumption and a reduction in dental caries which has been attributed to the high content of calcium, phosphate and casein in cheese. Mycotoxins are fungal metabolites which can arise in cheese as a result of direct or indirect contamination and have been shown to be cytotoxic and carcinogenic in animals. The presence of mycotoxins can be limited by reducing the contamination of animal feedstuffs and maintaining good sanitation throughout cheese manufacture and storage. Biogenic amines, such as histamine and tyramine, are produced by decarboxylation of amino acids during the normal cheese maturation process but are more often associated with the presence of spoilage microorganisms. Histamine and tyramine may induce poisoning in susceptible individuals and their presence in cheese should be controlled.