Flavor evaluation of cheddar cheese

Cheese flavor is an articulated behaviorial response by consumers to a cheese-induced stimulus. This stimulus is induced by a balance of odorants and tastants released during cheese consumption. In vitro methods of cheese analysis measure what is present in a cheese, but they cannot determine which specific compounds are responsible for cheese flavor. To do so, consumers must be involved. Sensory evaluation methods are the scientific means of doing this. To date instrumental and sensory methods have, by and large, remained separate. The relationship between the two is sought through statistical correlations, the result being a rather loose and uncertain relationship based more on association than cause. One reason for this physicochemical diversity of those compounds responsible for flavor, thereby affecting their release behavior during consumption. We have developed a method of analyzing volatile compounds released from cheese during its consumption, thereby eliminating a large part of this variability. We shall build on this approach to improve the understanding of Cheddar cheese flavor.