Aging and protein-to-fat ratio influence the sensory and textural quality of cheddar cheese

Jackie Blair Lipkowitz

Quality of Cheddar cheese is dependent on manufacturing methods and the resulting flavor and texture development during ripening. Protein-to-fat ratio (PFR) is a variable controlled during manufacturing to standardize milk component concentrations and control costs. The effects of altering PFR on sensory and textural quality are not well established within the commercial range of full-fat Cheddar cheese (0.70 to 1.15). This study evaluated flavor, taste and texture attributes of Cheddar cheeses with different PFR over aging time using descriptive sensory analysis and correlated these attributes with instrumental parameters obtained by the electronic tongue and rheological testing. Furthermore, this research illuminated consumer acceptance of varying PFR Cheddar cheeses at 12 mo of aging. Three Cheddar cheese formulations (PFR of 0.74, 0.85 and 1.01) were produced in triplicate and composition verified. Cheese was aged at 7.2 °C and evaluated at 2, 5, 8, 10, 11, and 12 mo. Descriptive sensory analysis found that PFR formulations had similar flavor and taste profiles at each aging time, while changes in flavor and taste profiles occurred over aging time. The electronic tongue distinguished changes in flavor and taste both among PFR formulations and between aging times and had moderate to high correlation with descriptive sensory analysis, which may indicate that its implementation in routine monitoring of Cheddar cheese quality may be more objective, rapid, cost-effective, and sensitive than use of human panelists. Both PFR formulation and aging time influenced cheese texture. Higher fat, lower protein cheese was associated with higher sensory perceptions of adhesiveness, cohesiveness, and smoothness of mass, while lower fat, higher protein cheese was characterized by higher firmness and fracturability properties. Younger cheese was springier and less deformable than aged cheeses. Relationships between sensory and rheological testing showed moderate to high correlations, indicating that instrumental monitoring of Cheddar cheese texture quality is promising. For consumer acceptability, higher fat content was associated with increased flavor intensities in Cheddar cheese and drove superior liking and purchase intent ratings. These results suggest that Cheddar cheese manufacturers should optimize the PFR of their cheese to within a range of 0.70 to 0.85 to maintain a high-quality product.

Aging and protein-to-fat ratio influence the sensory and textural quality of cheddar cheese

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