Link between goat milk lipolysis and sensorial quality of lactic goat cheeses made from raw or pasteurised milk.

There is an important variability of the lipolysis level in goat milk, due to various physiological and breeding factors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of these natural variations on the sensorial quality o f fresh and ripened lactic goat cheeses. The effect of milk pasteurisation was also studied. The results show that the variation of the lipolysis level of goat milk do not have any significant effect on the sensorial quality of ripened cheeses . On the contrary, the sensorial quality of fresh cheeses is linked to the lipolysis level of milk. These results allowed us to recommend some means of controlling the sensori al quality of goat cheeses. For ripened cheeses, a satisfying sensorial qua lity could be obtained via the control of the technological parameters, not ably the moisture in non-fat cheese at the demoulding. For fresh cheeses, t he lipolysis level of milk should be checked before cheesemaking, and milks with high lipolysis levels should not be used. Pasteurisation of milk indu ced a decrease in the lipolysis level of cheeses. The use of pasteurisation led to a limitation of the appearance of organoleptic defects in ripened c heeses, but the overall flavour and odour of ripened cheeses made from past eurised milk was also reduced compared to cheeses made from raw milk.