The bioactive compounds γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and biogenic amines (BA), together with protein-free amino acids, were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography in ewe's milk cheeses produced in Sardinia with different technological traits. The study included three types of cheese: Pecorino Sardo PDO, Pecorino and Casu Marzu. Farmhouse Casu Marzu and Pecorino showed GABA content (maximum levels: 1001.3 and 378.1 mg 100 g-1 respectively) that had never been found so high in cheese before, suggesting that these types of cheese present ideal conditions to produce GABA. These two types of cheese also showed high levels of BA (their total maximum levels were 1035.7 and 288.0 mg 100 g-1 respectively). Pearson correlation analysis detected significant correlation between GABA and the main BA present in the cheeses (tyramine, cadaverine and putrescine), suggesting that the factors affecting the production of GABA are the same as those influencing BA formation.
Keywords: Biogenic amines; Casu Marzu; Ewe’s milk cheese; GABA; Pecorino.