_applied_  
_sciences_  
_Article_  
**Profile of Carotenoids and Tocopherols for the Characterization of Lipophilic Antioxidants in \"Ragusano\" Cheese**  
**[PERSON] \({}^{1}\)\({}^{\copyright}\), [PERSON] \({}^{1,*}\)\({}^{\copyright}\), [PERSON] \({}^{1}\)\({}^{\copyright}\), [PERSON] \({}^{1}\), [PERSON] \({}^{1}\), [PERSON] \({}^{1}\) and [PERSON] \({}^{2,*}\)\({}^{\copyright}\)**  
\({}^{1}\) Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morpho-Functional Imaging (BIOMORF), University of Messina, Polo Universitario Annunizata, 98168 Messina, Italy; [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (A.R. ); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (G.B. ); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (R.R. ); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (R.V. ); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (V.Z.) \({}^{2}\) Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, University of Rome \"La Sapienza\", P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Roma, Italy  
\({}^{*}\) Correspondence: [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (G.L.L.T. ); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (A.S.); Tel. : +39-090-6766315 (G.L.L.T. ); +39-064-9913612 (A.S.)  
**Citation:** [PERSON]; [PERSON], [PERSON]; [PERSON], [PERSON]; [PERSON]; [PERSON] [PERSON]; [PERSON] [PERSON]; [PERSON] [PERSON]; [PERSON] Profile of Carotenoids and Tocopherols for the Characterization of Lipophilic Antioxidants in \"Ragusano\" Cheese. _Article_  
**Citation:** [PERSON]; [PERSON], [PERSON]; [PERSON] [PERSON]; [PERSON]; [PERSON]. according to the DPR n. 1269 of 30 October 1955 [3]. In 1996 it was recognized with the protected designation of origin (PDO) with EEC regulation n. 1263 of 1/7/1996 [4]. The name \"Ragusano\" likely derives from the production area, the Province of Ragusa [2], even if the milk processed into \"Ragusano\" cheese originates from several municipalities of the Ilbean plateau near Ragusa and Syracuse. \"Ragusano\" PDO is manufactured following an ancient traditional method [5] reproduced by the current manufacturers. In compliance with this practice, \"Ragusano\" cheese is made in small factories or farms exclusively with whole raw cow's milk, using the milk's natural microflora as a coagulation starter. It has a smooth, thin, compact crust with golden yellow or straw yellow color, tending to brown as it ages; the interior is white, tending to straw yellow, and has a compact structure, with possible cracks increasing with aging. Generally, \"Ragusano\" is produced from October to May, but it is possible to find it seasoned all year round. The popularity of this cheese among consumers is linked to the taste, pleasant, sweet, delicate, not very spicy in the first months of curing, but turns to spicy and savory after advanced curing. Today, although this cheese is produced according to the official protocol of \"Ragusano\" PDO, cheese-makers are often inclined to experiment with new dietary supplementation, to remain economically competitive and improve the cheese quality [6]. Thus, the study of the chemical composition is useful both to characterize this historical cheese and to outline the quality originated from the admixture of the natural microflora and traditional cheese-making technology. In a recent comprehensive review, it was highlighted that cheese, one of the major fermented dairy products, owns a peculiar antioxidant capacity due to the presence of different classes of compounds such as sulfur-containing amino acids, enzymatic systems, and vitamins. Particularly, vitamins A and E are mentioned as \"primary lipid-soluble antioxidants\" able to efficiently inhibit polyunsaturated fatty acid peroxidation and raise shelf stability [7]. However, less attention has been paid to the content of lipophilic vitamins of \"Ragusano\". Usually, the studies performed to characterize and protect the quality of this cheese were devoted to the volatile flavor compounds, sensory properties [6; 8; 9; 10; 11; 12; 13; 14; 15], fatty acids composition [16; 17] or peptide profiles linked to bitterness taste [18]. These data often refer to the manufacturing process (including salt concentration, time, temperature, and pH) [19; 20; 21].