The analysis of volatile substances associated with Cheddar-cheese aroma

Abstract

Summary: A method for obtaining distillates from whole Cheddar cheese is described. The distillate has an aroma at −80°C closely resembling that of the cheese before distillation. Gas chromatograms of the distillate were obtained by sampling the vapour over the distillate at −80°C, using both a 15-m Apiezon surface-coated open tubular column and a 1·5-m glass column packed with Porapak Q. The aroma of the effluent was evaluated and the chromatograms simultaneously recorded by passing the vapour through a splitting device before the flame-ionization detector of the gas chromatograph. The compounds responsible for the aromas detected in the effluent were identified using a gas chromatograph directly linked to a mass spectrometer. Of the compounds identified in the distillate, H₂S, methanethiol, dimethyl sulphide and diacetyl had the most intense aromas, and these compounds are discussed in relation to their importance to Cheddar-cheese aroma.