CHARACTERIZATION OF PROTECTED DENOMINATION OF ORIGIN CHEESES - RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SENSORY TEXTURE AND INSTRUMENTAL DATA

Relationships between sensory and instrumental measurements of cheese texture have been explored through an interlaboratory experiment in th e framework of a European FLAIR programme (SENS, Concerted Action no. 2, contract AGRF 025). Ten very different samples of each of the two c heese varieties, Appenzeller, a Swiss semi-hard cheese, and Parmigiano Reggiano, an Italian very hard cheese, were analysed using biochemica l, rheological and sensory methods. The relational study is one of the first using harmonised methods. Results have shown that sensory data can be related to instrumental data. Partial least square regression a ppears useful to relate sensory textural properties from instrumental data. The approach is recommended for similar investigations of other cheese varieties. (C) Inra/Elsevier, Paris.