Characterisation of commercial Cheddar cheese flavour. 2: study of Cheddar cheese discrimination by composition, volatile compounds and descriptive flavour assessment

Electronic nose discrimination between Cheddar cheeses manufactured using summer milk with two types of starter culture during a day in May and a day in September 1999 was compared to corresponding discriminations by composition, headspace volatile compounds and descriptive flavour assessment. Electronic nose discrimination between cheeses was related to composition, the profile and abundance of headspace volatiles, and the odour character of the cheeses. Cheddar cheeses manufactured using different types of starter culture were differentiated by descriptive flavour assessment; however, the organoleptic basis of cheese separation was different from that provided by the cheese-grader. Variations in the flavour character of cheeses manufactured in May and September 1999 were attributed to variations in the contents of fat and salt. The ability to respond to physicochemical attributes contributing to the differentiation between cheeses suggested that electronic nose metal oxide semiconductor gas sensor technology has value in the Cheddar cheese industry. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.