Cheddar cheese flavor has been extensively investigated, and many important flavor contributing volatile and non-volatile compounds have been identified.  Among them, volatile free fatty acids and volatile sulfur compounds are considered the major aroma contributors for Cheddar cheese. The development of these aroma compounds in Cheddar cheese is highly affected by manufacturing conditions, including milk source, thermal treatment of the milk, starter and non-starter cultures, indigenous microflora, and many other processing parameters.  In this study,   free fatty acids were isolated using amino SPE column and analyzed by GC, volatile sulfur compounds including hydrogen sulfide, methanethiol (MeSH), dimethyl sulfide (DMS), methyl thiolacetate (MeSOAc), dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) and dimethyl trisulfide (DMTS) were extracted using Carboxen/PDMS SPME fiber, and quantified by gas chromatography-pulsed flame photometric detection. Differences were observed in commercial sharp cheeses made from northeast, middle west and west coast regions, and even from the same manufacturer but different plants. Flavor development in commercial cheeses made from pasteurized milk and thermalized milk were studied over twenty months of aging. The thermalized milk cheese had much higher free fatty acid and volatile sulfur development than the pasteurized milk cheese. However, hydrogen sulfide, dimethyl disulfide only increased in the initial stage of cheese aging and reached a plateau, whereas methanethiol, dimethyl sulfide and dimethyl trisulfide continued to develop as cheese ages. Furthermore, isolated non-starter culture enhanced the flavor development.

Development of free fatty acids and volatile sulfur compounds during cheddar cheese aging under commercial conditions

246th National Meeting (2013)

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