15B-10 |
Milk pasteurization affects flavor properties of commercial French cheeses |
E. ESTEVE1, D. Chambers, E. Chambers, IV, and A. Retiveau. (1) Human Nutrition, Kansas State University, 146B Justin Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506 Previous research on pairs of experimental cheeses has shown that heat treatment of milk affected flavor properties of cheese. However, it is unknown whether pasteurization has a generalized effect or whether the effect is specific to certain cheese varieties. This research studied the effect of heat treatment of milk on the flavor properties of a variety of commercially available cheeses and to determine if differences exist between raw and pasteurized milk cheeses. Highly trained, experienced sensory panelists developed flavor profiles of seven commercially available French cheeses (Brie, Coulommier, Camembert, Saint Nectaire, Munster, Chèvre and Bleu), where versions made from pasteurized and unpasteurized milk were available. French cheeses made from raw milk differed in flavor and odor from pasteurized milk cheeses. Raw milk cheeses had stronger odor properties. Soft cheeses with white rind (Brie, Coulommier, Camembert, Saint Nectaire) as well as Chèvre and bleu tended to be affected similarly by milk heat treatment. Generally, cheeses from raw milk were scored higher for moldy, fermented, goaty, butyric, sharp-bite and bitter characteristics. Cheeses from pasteurized milk had higher sensory scores for earthy, buttery, and dairy fat. The sensory characteristics of Munster cheese did not follow the pattern of other cheeses. Munster from raw milk was sweaty, green, animalic and butyric, whereas Munster from pasteurized milk had higher goaty, fermented, sharp-bite, pungent and bitter characteristics. Additional work to understand why Munster showed different effects of pasteurization from other cheeses is needed. Because pasteurization generally decreased specific characteristic flavor properties of the cheese types (e.g. moldy, fermented) and increased base cheese notes such as buttery and dairy, the effect of milk pasteurization is now better understood. If processors want to reproduce the flavor of unpasteurized milk cheese, modifications to ingredients or processes will need to be made that help to boost specific flavor properties.
Session 15B, Dairy Foods: Chemistry, microbiology and sensory analysis of various cheeses
|