Effect of aging pit on volatile compounds and sensory attributes of traditional Italian Fossa cheese

This work evaluated how the gross chemical composition and colour, the sensory characteristics, and the aromatic properties (evaluated through HS-SPME-GC), of Fossa cheese, a typical local Italian product aged in specially designed underground pits, are affected by the pit used for ripening. Four pits of different depth from 2.5 to 3.4 m were filled with sacs of cheese stacked on top of each other and used for the 90-day aging. Cheese samples taken from various positions inside each pit were collected and analysed. Results showed statistically significant differences among the cheeses aged in the different sized pits for most of the studied characteristics. The multivariate analysis of the data revealed that many cheese properties, including the overall liking, were correlated with each other and with the pit depth. By inducing different levels of whey and fat loss into the pit (presence of liquid inside the pits after the completion of the aging process), varying pressures due to the differing depths of the pits could be responsible for the different modifications of the cheese (gross composition and shape) and the pit environment (humidity) influencing directly and indirectly, by controlling microflora development, cheese sensorial properties and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) production. [Display omitted] •Cheeses from the same production batch, stored in four different pits for 90 days, were analysed.•The pit affected cheese overall liking and physicochemical, sensory, and aromatic properties.•Pit depth caused different whey and fat loss affecting the cheese gross chemical composition.•Different cheese composition and amount of liquid loss may affect cheese sensorial properties.