Role of milk fat in production of cheddar cheese flavour using a fat-substituted cheese model

Cheddar-type, full-fat cheeses were prepared from skim milk homogenised wit h cream, anhydrous milk fat, or vegetable fats, namely, cocoa butter, cocon ut oil, and partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil. Flavour development in t he cheeses up to 18 months of ripening was evaluated by sensory as well as objective (free amino acids, free fatty acids, volatile compounds) measurem ents. No significant difference in cheddar flavour intensity was found betw een whole milk cheese and cheeses made from skim milk homogenised with crea m or anhydrous milk fat. However, cheese made from skim milk homogenised wi th the vegetable fats did not produce characteristic cheddar flavour, even after extended maturation. Addition of butter milk powder or emulsifier did not result in a significant improvement in flavour. Cheese proteolysis, as measured by free amino acid content and profiles, was not affected by the nature of the fat component of cheese, showing that free amino acids on the ir: own are not a determinant of cheddar flavour intensity. The results sho w that the role of milk fat in cheddar flavour is not limited to that of a solvent, and suggest that milk fat is a source of key cheddar flavour compo unds or their precursors.