THE INFLUENCE OF RIPENING TEMPERATURE ON THE SENSORY CHARACTERISTICS OF REGGIANITO ARGENTINO CHEESE

The Aroma Composition of Koryciński Cheese Ripened in Different Temperatures

As a regional product, Koryciński cheese is one of the most important cheeses in the Podlasie region of Poland. In this study, the influence of technological processes, such as ripening, on shaping the organoleptic characteristics of cheese was determined. Korycin-type cheeses are produced from cow's milk according to traditional technology. The ripening process lasted 466 h at 5 °C, 10 °C, and 15 °C. The aging temperature had a decisive influence on the number of esters and organic acids formed, which were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The organoleptic properties of the cheeses were also related to the ripening temperature.

Physicochemical and sensory evolutions of the lactic goat cheese Picodon in relation to temperature and relative humidity used throughout ripening

To produce a wide variety of cheeses, it is necessary to control the ripening process. To do that, artisanal goat cheeses were ripened to evaluate the effects of temperature (10 and 14°C) and relative humidity (RH; 88 and 98%) on (1) 16 physicochemical characteristics throughout ripening and (2) 19 sensory characteristics at the end of ripening (d 12). Whatever the ripening time, the physicochemical characteristics were strongly dependent on the daily productions, which affected the sensory perception of the cheeses. Both physicochemical and sensory characteristics were strongly reliant on RH, whereas only a few of the characteristics were influenced by temperature changes. On d 12, whatever the ripening temperature, an RH increase from 88% to 98% modified many cheese characteristics (core pH, lactate consumption, underrind thickening, dry matter content, and hardness). As a result of these physicochemical properties, changes in perception were observed: the cheeses ripened under 88% RH were dry and hard compared with those ripened under 98% RH. An RH of 98% led to an acceleration of the ripening process, inducing a slightly ammonia and milky flavor and a sticky and creamy texture in the mouth. However, cheeses ripened under 14°C and 98% RH were also indicative of overripened cheeses: a temperature of 14°C induced an acceleration of the ripening process due to physicochemical modifications compared with a temperature of 10°C. Nevertheless, when the cheeses on d 0 were still very humid and soft, those ripened under 98% RH collapsed and were overripened with a liquid underrind. This study provides a means for achieving a better and more rational control of the ripening process in artisanal lactic goat cheeses.

Temperature and relative humidity influence the ripening descriptors of Camembert-type cheeses throughout ripening

Ripening descriptors are the main factors that determine consumers' preferences of soft cheeses. Six descriptors were defined to represent the sensory changes in Camembert cheeses: Penicillium camemberti appearance, cheese odor and rind color, creamy underrind thickness and consistency, and core hardness. To evaluate the effects of the main process parameters on these descriptors, Camembert cheeses were ripened under different temperatures (8, 12, and 16°C) and relative humidity (RH; 88, 92, and 98%). The sensory descriptors were highly dependent on the temperature and RH used throughout ripening in a ripening chamber. All sensory descriptor changes could be explained by microorganism growth, pH, carbon substrate metabolism, and cheese moisture, as well as by microbial enzymatic activities. On d 40, at 8°C and 88% RH, all sensory descriptors scored the worst: the cheese was too dry, its odor and its color were similar to those of the unripe cheese, the underrind was driest, and the core was hardest. At 16°C and 98% RH, the odor was strongly ammonia and the color was dark brown, and the creamy underrind represented the entire thickness of the cheese but was completely runny, descriptors indicative of an over ripened cheese. Statistical analysis showed that the best ripening conditions to achieve an optimum balance between cheese sensory qualities and marketability were 13±1°C and 94±1% RH.