Flavour compounds and sensory characteristics of cheese powders made from matured cheeses

Three types of cheese powders made from well-matured smear-ripened, hard, or blue cheese, were subjected to sensory profiling and analysis of volatiles, key aroma compounds, amino acids and organic acids. Blue cheese powders had high flavour intensities, especially of ‘fruity’ and ‘blue’ odour and flavour, which were related to a high content of methyl ketones and alcohols, esters and free fatty acids typically produced by Penicillium species. Smear cheese powders, characterised by ‘smear’ odour and flavour, were associated with flavour compounds derived from catabolism of sulphuric and branched-chain amino acids. Hard cheese powders described by ‘Goya’ odour and flavour as well as ‘umami’, ‘harmony’ and ‘kokumi’, had low or medium amounts of most compounds. The different characteristics of the three cheese powders can make them useful in different food applications as flavours or flavour enhancers.