Effect of dairy production systems on the sensory characteristics of Cantal cheeses: a plant-scale study

A study was conducted to verify whether bulk milk produced according to specific conditions of production would lead to distinctive cheeses. Milk from two groups of farms that mainly differ in their level of intensification of dairy cow and forage area management was processed into cheese in the same Cantal dairy plant, during 4 periods of 3 consecutive days each. The milk chemical composition differed little between the two producing groups whereas the differences were greater between the processing periods because of the combined effects of the season, the mean lactation stage of the herds and cow feeding. Major chemical and microbiological differences were noted in ripened cheeses according to the cheesemaking period, especially between cheeses made in the winter and in the summer. The cheesemaking period and ripening time (6, 13 and 23 weeks) accounted for most of the variance noted in all the sensory characteristics of the cheeses, whereas the production system had a far lesser impact. With regards to odour and aroma, the spring and winter cheeses differed from the autumn and summer ones. With time, the cheeses became softer and melted more and tasted saltier and more pungent. The stronger characteristics were enhanced whereas milder flavours lost power, a trend that was more marked in the winter cheeses. On average, the cheeses made from the more extensive farms were more elastic and slightly less bitter and pungent. They were also characterised by their globally less intense odour and aroma characteristics. The differences between the two production systems were noticeable in cheeses made in the winter or spring and the most significant after 13 weeks of ripening. For other periods or other ripening time, the cheeses made from the 2 groups of farms were very close.