Blue Cheese: Complete Amino Acid Profile

Blue Cheese ‐ Amino Acids List

The ultra creamy and savory notes of blue cheese have made it a beloved topping for salads, sandwiches, pasta dishes and more. The complex flavor palette found in this delicious dairy delight is actually created by the unique combination of amino acids that compose the cheese’s composition. To better understand what makes up this delightful dish, we will provide an overview of the role of amino acids in blue cheese as well as how different types of these substances contribute to its unique flavor profile.

Amino acids are organic compounds composed of nitrogen, carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and/or sulfur molecules. These molecules form proteins -- essential molecules which make up much of our body's cells and tissues, act as catalysts in biochemical processes, and are involved in various metabolic pathways. In addition to their important roles in biology, amino acids also play a part in creating the special taste and texture of food such as cheese.

In dairy products like blue cheese, the processes of ripening and acidification create natural proteolytic enzymes called “cheese-maturing enzymes” or CMEs which break down the proteins in milk into individual amino acids, forming bonds with them in the process. These CMEs act on proteins known as caseins--the primary proteins that makeup cheese—and generate several free amino acids in the process including: lysine, arginine, alanine, methionine, glutamic acid, tyrosine, leucine, glycine, and histidine.

These amino acids then transform from neutral molecules, to dipolar ions (molecules with a positive charge at one end and a negative charge at the other). Their electrical charges mean that they can more easily interact with microwaves and air molecules and thus give off different smells and flavors when heated. This is why cooking and heating foods causes distinct aromas and tastes – something especially noticeable when preparing blue cheese.

Most notably within blue cheese, the changes of all those different amino acids creates a powerful smell caused by dimethyl disulphide and trimethylamin allowed through the hydrolysis of cysteic acid (cystine) and thionein. Additionally, flavour characteristics derived from propanoic acid, butyric acid and acetic acid come from the breakdown of some peptides during aging. Alltogether generating these particular sensory impressions typical for blue cheese.

Lysine itself has been pictured to be responsible for about half of all volatile components emitted in the temperate aroma compound range between 65-210ºC. Lysine was also observed to reduce the taste intensity of glutamate, increasing the strong salty and umami character of blue cheese due to sodium accumulation - without it, the Umami punch might not itemized so clearly. Arginine, glucolactone, valine, glutamatic acid and proline were stated contributing to sweet's mellowness perception while tryosine, hasseine and yhacoline is significant contributors to sharpness or pungency after aging.

Last but not least, histidine contributes giving to blue cheese its most distinguishable feature, the crispy and thorough veining associated with age and maturation development. Flavour formation reaction happening basically turn histidine into ammonia overinducement which in return encourages mould growth and forms veins of fungus throughout the cheese - emphasizing further the unamelled characteristic of fine blue cheese.

In conclusion, it is clear that amino acids play a vital role in contributing to the unique flavor and texture profiles offered by blue cheese. By breaking down caseins into lysine, arginine, alanine, methionine, glutamic acid, tyrosine, leucine, glycine, and histidine, blue cheese offers a complex balance of nutty, earthy and tangy sensations. Furthermore, these molecule interactions cause dramatic aromatic changes when heated resulting in a variety of coatings or melts capable of adding exciting new dimensions to many classic recipes. Thus, understanding the role played by amino acids in blue cheese helps us gain insight into why it is so prized by home chefs around the world!