The relationship between consumer acceptability and the descriptive sensory attributes of cheddar cheese

Consumer acceptability of Cheddar cheese is based on flavor. A full Cheddar cheese flavor is generally developed after one year of ripening. Three blocks of Cheddar cheese of two, four and seven months of ripening were sampled in triplicate from the Mississippi State University Dairy Plant and stored for four additional months. Nine trained panelists differentiated the cheeses using a descriptive analysis. Three replications of consumer acceptability and analysis of volatile compounds present were performed during three consecutive months. Preference mapping performed clustered six segments of consumers with different preferences. Most consumers preferred the averaged nine month cheese, characterized as having young/undeveloped flavors such as "cooked", "buttery" and "creamy" flavors. Volatile compounds present in this cheese included compounds responsible for a green leaf odor, and some lactones compounds among others. The twelve month cheese was the least preferred and was characterized as having aged/developed flavors such as bitter, sour, pungent, sulfur, free fatty acid, and earthy flavors.