Effect of high-pressure treatment and a bacteriocin-producing lactic culture on the odor and aroma of Hispanico cheese:: Correlation of volatile compounds and sensory analysis

The effect on the volatile compounds and on the odor and aroma of Hispanico cheese of a high-pressure (HP) treatment (400 MPa for 5 min at 10 degrees C, applied to 15-day-old cheeses), by itself or combined with the addition of a bacteriocin-producing (BP) culture to milk, was investigated. HP-treated cheeses showed higher levels of hexanal, 3-hydroxy-2-pentanone, 2-hydroxy-3-pentanone, and hexane and lower levels of ethanal, ethanol, 1-propanol, ethyl acetate, ethyl butanoate, ethyl hexanoate, 2-pentanone, and butanoic acid than untreated cheeses. HP cheeses received higher "milky" odor descriptor scores and lower scores for odor quality and intensity and for "buttery", "yogurt-like", and "caramel" odor descriptors. Addition of the BP culture enhanced the formation of three aldehydes, three alcohols, three ethyl esters, and three ketones but decreased the levels of seven ketones and butanoic acid. BP cheeses received higher scores for aroma intensity and for "yogurt-like" and "cheesy" aroma descriptors. Principal component analysis showed the correlation between diketones and aroma descriptors "caramel", "buttery", and "milky" and between 3-methylbutanal and the odor and aroma intensity scores and aroma descriptors "sheepy" and "meat broth".