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Characterization of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese aroma |
M. C. QIAN, Dept. of Food Science & Technology, Oregon State Univ., 100 Wiegand Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331 and G. A. Reineccius, Dept. of Food Science & Nutrition, Univ. of Minnesota, 1334 Eckles Ave., Saint Paul, MN 55108. Parmigiano Reggiano cheese was originated in northern Italy, and has an aging process of 12 to 24 months. Its rich flavor make it one of the world's most highly prized cheeses. However, the aroma chemistry of this cheese has not been well characterized. The objective of this study was to characterize aroma compounds of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese using Gc/Olfactometry technique. The important aroma compounds in Parmigiano Reggiano cheese were screened with the Aroma Extract Dilution Analysis (AEDA). Potentially important aroma compounds (high FD values) were quantified using a purge-trap/gas chromatography-mass spectrometry technique. Odor activity values were calculated based on sensory thresholds reported in literature, and were further used to evaluate the potential contributions of these aroma compounds to the cheese. Thirty-six odor-active compounds had high flavor dilution values, but no single compound was found to be responsible for the characteristic aroma of this cheese. AEDA found that acetaldehyde, 2-methylpropanal, 2-methylbutanal, 3-methylbutanal, acetic, butanoic, hexanoic, octanoic, and decanoic acids, ethyl butanoate, ethyl hexanoate, dimethyl trisulfide, methional and phenylacetaldehyde had high flavor dilution values, suggested that they were important to the aroma of this cheese. In addition, some pyrazines appeared to be important to the nutty aroma of this cheese. The odor activity calculations showed that ethyl butanoate, ethyl hexanoate and ethyl octanoate were primarily responsible for the fruity, sweet aroma of this cheese; butanoic, hexanoic and octanoic acids contributed to the cheesy, lipolyzed aroma; diacetyl was responsible for the buttery notes; dimethyltrisulfide and methional were responsible for the sulfury, meaty notes; phenylacetaldehyde contributed to the floral note. In addition, 3-methylbutanal, 2-methylpropanal and 2-methylbutanal contributed to the malty aroma of this cheese. This study suggested that the combination of above mentioned compounds at proper concentration were responsible for the aroma of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
Session 28, Dairy Foods: Developments in microbiology and chemistry of cheese
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