## 3 Results and Discussion  
### Compositional Properties  
Similar to other food processing techniques, irradiation can induce certain alterations that can modify the chemical composition and nutritive values of food [10; 11; 12]. In the current study, the moisture content, water activity, total N (TN), protein, pH and fat in DM, salt and salt in moisture were reduced (\(p<0.05\)) by the irradiation treatment (Table 1). The noted differences were not significant for other studies [10; 12], and this could be due to the differences in the irradiation dose applied and chemical composition of different cheese varieties. The reduction in the moisture content could be due to the decrease in water-holding capacity of casein proteins as a result of irradiation [10; 11; 12]. This has a possible effect on the water activity, pH, TN and fat in the DM content. The noted reduction in TN % could be due to the destructive effect of irradiation on the natural flora and milk enzymes subsequently affecting the protein content [29]. The fat content was not affected, similar to what is shown in other studies where macronutrients such as lipids were reported not to be significantly affected by ionising radiation doses of up to 10 kGy [30; 31].  
All milk proteins, except for the \(\beta\)-casein, were not affected (\(p>0.05\)) by the irradiation treatment (Table 1). The amount of \(\beta\)-casein decreased (\(p<0.05\)) at the 5.0-kGy dosage. [PERSON] et al. [32] reported a decrease in \(\alpha\) and \(\beta\)-caseins in both milk and Queso Blanco cheese after treatment. [PERSON] et al. [17] postulated that differences in the development of the peptide profile of irradiated checkdar cheese are due, in part, to protein degradation  
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{l c c c} \hline \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Parameter**} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**Dosage**} & \multirow{2}{*}{\(p\)**-Value**} \\ \cline{2-3} \cline{5-4}  & **0.0 kGy** & & **5.0 kGy** & \\ \hline Moisture\% & 30.3 \(\pm\) 1.14 & 28.6 \(\pm\) 1.16 & 0.0091 \\ Ash \% & 3.75 \(\pm\) 0.46 & 3.78 \(\pm\) 0.46 & 0.7350 \\ pH & 5.16 \(\pm\) 0.06 & 5.11 \(\pm\) 0.06 & 0.0287 \\ Lactic acid\% & 0.86 \(\pm\) 0.11 & 0.87 \(\pm\) 0.12 & 0.8485 \\ Protein\% of TN \({}^{\text{c}}\) & 30.4 \(\pm\) 1.77 & 29.6 \(\pm\) 1.78 & 0.0084 \\ TN \% & 4.76 \(\pm\) 0.28 & 4.63 \(\pm\) 0.28 & 0.0082 \\ Fat\% & 32.0 \(\pm\) 1.20 & 30.7 \(\pm\) 1.23 & 0.0580 \\ Fat in dry matter\% & 45.9 \(\pm\) 2.09 & 43.0 \(\pm\) 2.11 & 0.0007 \\ Water activity & 0.93 \(\pm\) 0.01 & 0.92 \(\pm\) 0.001 & 0.0001 \\ Salt\% & 2.69 \(\pm\) 0.52 & 1.95 \(\pm\) 0.53 & 0.0001 \\ Salt in moisture\% & 9.19 \(\pm\) 2.27 & 7.18 \(\pm\) 2.28 & 0.0001 \\ _Milk proteins_ & & & \\ \(\alpha\)-lactalbumin\% & 11.5 \(\pm\) 1.78 & 11.2 \(\pm\) 1.80 & 0.6219 \\ \(\beta\)-lactoglobulin\% & 14.2 \(\pm\) 1.42 & 12.4 \(\pm\) 1.36 & 0.1212 \\ \(\alpha\)-casein\% & 25.2 \(\pm\) 3.79 & 22.5 \(\pm\) 3.86 & 0.1824 \\ \(\beta\)-casein\% & 3.81 \(\pm\) 0.71 & 0.83 \(\pm\) 0.63 & 0.0024 \\ k-casein\% & 11.3 \(\pm\) 1.37 & 9.48 \(\pm\) 1.44 & 0.1432 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular} \({}^{\text{a}}\) LSM = Least square means; \({}^{\text{b}}\) SEM = standard error of the means; \({}^{\text{c}}\) TN = Total Nitrogen; \(p<0.05\). \({}^{\text{*}}\) Values correspond to the average of 250 and 500-g samples.  
\end{table}
Table 1: Composition (LSM \({}^{\text{a}}\)\(\pm\) SEM \({}^{\text{b}}\)) of artisanal pecorino-style hard cheese (\(n=24\)) at 0.0-kGy and 5.0-kGy dosages of the irradiation treatment.  
by radiation. It is important to elucidate the effect of irradiation on the changes of specific milk proteins, since the irradiation treatment can be used for the elimination of allergenic proteins in foods [32; 33]. These studies have, in fact, demonstrated that food irradiation can reduce food allergies by eliminating specific allergenic proteins. The composition properties were not different (\(p>0.05\)) between the 250 and 500-g samples at a dosage of 5.0 kGy (data not shown).