RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LEVEL OF HYDROPHOBIC PEPTIDES AND BITTERNESS IN CHEESE MADE FROM PASTEURIZED AND RAW-MILK

Hydrophobic and hydrophilic peptides in the water-soluble fraction of 20 batches of Hispanico cheese made from pasteurized and raw milk were determined by reversed-phase HPLC, with detection at 214 and 280nm. C heese flavour characteristics were evaluated by a sensory panel, and r egressions of bitterness scores on levels of hydrophobic and hydrophil ic peptides and their ratio were calculated. The best fitting relation ship for pasteurized milk cheese was the linear regression of mean pan el bitterness scores on hydrophobic peptides at 280 nm (r(2) = 0.791). The determination coefficient for the regression of hydrophobic pepti des at 280 nm on panellist bitterness scores (r(2) = 0.356) was lower, owing to individual differences in the perceived intensity of bittern ess. In the case of raw milk cheese, the respective determination coef ficients were 0.203 for panel scores and 0.034 for individual panellis t scores.