Influence of the composition of Alpine highland pasture on the chemical, rheological and sensory properties of cheese

A study was undertaken to compare the chemical and sensory characteristics of Abondance cheeses made with milk from animals grazing areas within the s ame highland pasture, but with different predominant plants. Nine cheeses m ade during the last 3 d of three successive 7 d periods were evaluated. The animals grazed on the southern side of the highland pasture during the fir st period (15-21 June), on the northern side during the second period (22-2 9 June) and returned to the southern side for the third period (30 June-6 J uly). The gross composition of the cheeses did not vary between periods. 'N orth' cheeses contained more plasmin, gamma-casein, alpha(s1)-I-casein and water-soluble N than 'south' cheeses. Both sensory and instrumental measure ments indicated that north cheeses were less firm, stickier and more easily fractured than south cheeses. North cheeses were also more salty, bitter a nd persistent. Their overall aroma was more intense and they had more inten se sour, burnt, toasted, fermented vegetable and sweat aromas, but less int ense toffee, exotic fruit and acid milk aromas. The texture differences not ed between the cheeses from milk produced on the two areas may come from di fferences in primary proteolysis, partly due to different amounts of plasmi n and plasminogen in milk and in cheeses. The aroma differences mere relate d to differences in volatile compounds. Some compounds had a microbial orig in, while some others may have come from the pasture.