The lipolysis story
science
1 min read
The free fatty acid (FFA) release during aging is driven by lipolysis — the enzymatic breakdown of triglycerides. The main actors are:
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Rennet enzymes added during cheesemaking;
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Residual milk lipases (naturally present in raw milk);
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Microbial lipases from bacteria, molds, and yeasts in the cheese
Bacteria are involved — but they're not eating the fat for your microbiome's benefit in the way probiotics do. They're producing lipase enzymes that cleave fatty acids off the backbone. The FFAs themselves then become flavor compounds, and some survive digestion to interact with your gut — but this is different from the bacteria themselves colonizing the body.