An international ring trial for the sensory evaluation of raw ewes’ milk cheese texture

A total of nine Protected Designation of Origin hard and semi-hard cheese varieties were selected for this study, all made with raw ewes’ milk. The cheeses selected were Idiazabal and Roncal from Spain, Ossau-Iraty from France, and Pecorino Sardo, Pecorino Romano and Fiore Sardo from Italy. This ring trial was designed as a first step to validate a consensually designed standardized guide for ewes’ milk hard and semi-hard cheese texture evaluation and assess main differences among five sensory panels using this guide. Several univariate and multivariate statistical techniques were employed for data treatment. Each of the sensory attributes was relevant and understood similarly by all the panelists. The sensory attributes more relevant to the discrimination of the cheeses were friability, adhesiveness, solubility and moisture in mouth. The development of standardized and consensual sensory tools has been proven to provide consistent results among the participating panels.     

Microbiological and biochemical properties of canestrato pugliese hard cheese supplemented with bifidobacteria

Canestrato Pugliese cheeses from ewe milk were produced according to a traditional protocol and by adding 7.0 log10 cfu of fresh cells per gram of Bifidobacterium bifidum Bb02, Bifidobacterium longum Bb46, or both species. The traditional technology was modified slightly to favor the survival of probiotic microorganisms. After 56 d of ripening, the survival of B. bifidum Bb02 and B. longum Bb46 was 6.0 and 5.0 log10 cfu/g, respectively. After 19 d cheeses contained ca. 7.0 log10 cfu/g of bifidobacteria. Compared to traditional cheese, the addition of bifidobacteria seemed to support the growth and survival of mesophilic lactobacilli and Streptococcus thermophilus, used as starter, during ripening. No significant differences were observed in the main chemical composition, and only a slightly higher concentration of acetic acid was found in cheeses with bifidobacteria added. On the contrary, alpha- and beta-galactosidase activities were markedly more pronounced in the presence of bifidobacteria, especially with B. bifidum Bb02. In contrast with traditional cheese, the lactose was completely hydrolyzed in cheeses made with bifidobacteria. Urea-PAGE electrophoresis of the pH 4.6-soluble and pH 4.6-insoluble N fractions did not show appreciable variations. Only the reversed-phase-HPLC analysis of the pH 4.6-soluble N showed a slightly more complex profile in the presence of bifidobacteria. This finding was in agreement with the higher value of the pH 4.6-soluble N/total N ratio and with the more pronounced amino-, imino-, and dipeptidase activities found in all the cheeses with the bifidobacteria added, especially B. bifidum Bb02. No differences were found in the free amino acid and free fatty acid contents. The amino acids glutamic acid, valine, proline, leucine, and lysine and the fatty acids butyric, caproic, capric, and oleic acids were found at the highest concentrations. The sensory evaluation did not show significant differences, and Canestrato Pugliese cheeses were characterized by small and uniformly distributed eyes, were pale yellow, had an elastic consistency and a Pecorino-like smell, were very salty, and tended to be moderately piquant.     

SPME/GC-MS Characterization of the Volatile Fraction of an Italian PDO Sheep Cheese to Prevalent Lypolitic Ripening: the Case of Fiore Sardo

A specifically aimed SPME/GC-MS method has been assessed in order to describe the volatile fraction of intense flavoring cheeses like Fiore Sardo PDO, a prevalent lipolytic ripening sheep cheese from Sardinia, Italy. A DVB/CAR/PDMS 50/30 μm fiber and a 3-min exposure time showed to be the best compromise between the possibility to extract compounds with a wide range of polarity and molecular mass and the need to avoid competition and displacement effects among analytes. The volatile compound profile of Fiore Sardo PDO sheep cheese was largely characterized by carboxylic acids (about 68% of the total area of recognized peaks), whereas esters (14%), ketones (9%), and alcohols (8%) represented other abundant classes of low molecular weight species. A number of low-smelling threshold trace compounds were also identified as likely contributors of aroma of the Fiore Sardo PDO cheese.     

Antibacterial activities of peptides from the water-soluble extracts of Italian cheese varieties

Water-soluble extracts of 9 Italian cheese varieties that differed mainly for type of cheese milk, starter, technology, and time of ripening were fractionated by reversed-phase fast protein liquid chromatography, and the antimicrobial activity of each fraction was first assayed toward Lactobacillus sakei A15 by well-diffusion assay. Active fractions were further analyzed by HPLC coupled to electrospray ionization-ion trap mass spectrometry, and peptide sequences were identified by comparison with a proteomic database. Parmigiano Reggiano, Fossa, and Gorgonzola water-soluble extracts did not show antibacterial peptides. Fractions of Pecorino Romano, Canestrato Pugliese, Crescenza, and Caprino del Piemonte contained a mixture of peptides with a high degree of homology. Pasta filata cheeses (Caciocavallo and Mozzarella) also had antibacterial peptides. Peptides showed high levels of homology with N-terminal, C-terminal, or whole fragments of well known antimicrobial or multifunctional peptides reported in the literature: α_S1-casokinin (e.g., sheep α_S1-casein (CN) f22-30 of Pecorino Romano and cow α_S1-CN f24-33 of Canestrato Pugliese); isracidin (e.g., sheep α_S1-CN f10-21 of Pecorino Romano); kappacin and casoplatelin (e.g., cow κ-CN f106-115 of Canestrato Pugliese and Crescenza); and β-casomorphin-11 (e.g., goat β-CN f60-68 of Caprino del Piemonte). As shown by the broth microdilution technique, most of the water-soluble fractions had a large spectrum of inhibition (minimal inhibitory concentration of 20 to 200 μg/mL) toward gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial species, including potentially pathogenic bacteria of clinical interest. Cheeses manufactured from different types of cheese milk (cow, sheep, and goat) have the potential to generate similar peptides with antimicrobial activity.     

Influence of selected lab cultures on the evolution of free amino acids, free fatty acids and Fiore Sardo cheese microflora during the ripening

Fiore Sardo Protected Denomination of Origin is a traditional Sardinian (Italy) hard cheese produced exclusively from whole raw ovine milk and coagulated with lamb rennet paste. Currently, Fiore Sardo is still produced by shepherds at the farmhouse level without the addition of any starter culture and the cheese-making process is characterized by significant waste. The first objective of the present work was to investigate the autochthonous microflora present in milk and Fiore Sardo cheese in order to select lactic acid bacterial (LAB) cultures with suitable cheese-making attributes and, possibly reduce the production waste. Secondly, the ability of selected cultures to guarantee cheese healthiness and quality was tested in experimental cheese-making trials. In this study, we show that the typical lactic microflora of raw ewe's milk and Fiore Sardo cheese is mostly composed of mesophilic LAB such as Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus casei subsp. casei. Moreover, strains belonging to the species were selected for cheese-making attributes and used in experimental cheese-making trials carried out in different farms producing Fiore Sardo. The evolution of the cheese microflora, free amino acids and free fatty acids during the ripening showed that the experimental cheeses were characterized by a balanced ratio of the chemical constituents, by a reduced number of spoilage microorganisms and, remarkably, by the absence of production waste that were significant for the control cheeses.     

Employment of autochthonous microflora in Pecorino Sardo cheese manufacturing and evolution of physicochemical parameters during ripening

The isolation and identification of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from raw ewes’ milk and traditional Pecorino Sardo cheese made from this milk without the addition of starter culture was carried out to define the autochthonous lactic microflora present in milk and the evolution of LAB during cheese ripening. Isolation of 275 strains belonging to different Lactococcus, Lactobacillus, Streptococcus and Enterococcus species was achieved. Coccal-shaped LAB were found to predominate during cheese fermentation, while lactobacilli were preponderate during the latter phase of ripening. The technological selection of a total of 174 LAB strains belonging to the species Lactococcus lactis, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus helveticus and Lb. casei allowed an experimental starter to be prepared, in which a potentially probiotic species, Lb. casei was used. The suitability of the autochthonous starter culture was tested in cheese-making trials, using thermised ewes’ milk, by comparing experimental Pecorino Sardo cheese with a control cheese produced at industrial scale using a whey starter culture from previous batches of manufacture. In particular, microbiological and physicochemical parameters were determined over 210 days of cheese ripening. Although sensory evaluation did not show any significant difference between experimental and control Pecorino Sardo cheeses, the use of the selected autochthonous starter allowed the production of experimental cheese with a significantly higher level of free amino acids, in particular essential amino acids, in comparison with the Pecorino Sardo control cheeses.     

Characterization of Fiore Sardo cheese manufactured with the addition of autochthonous cultures

This work evaluated the effect of adjunct autochthonous cultures on the chemical, microbiological and sensory characteristics of Fiore Sardo cheese during ripening. A total of twelve batches of cheeses were manufactured according to the technical Disciplinary of Fiore Sardo cheese, with and without different combinations of autochthonous strains isolated from the native microflora of artisanal Fiore Sardo. There were no significant differences in the cheese compositional parameters between experimental and control cheeses, but the addition of cultures led to a statistically significant decrease in pH values in experimental cheeses. The evolution of total mesophilic bacteria, total coliforms and lactic acid bacteria were significantly influenced by the addition of autochthonous cultures in most of the experimental cheeses. As for sensory characteristics, all the experimental cheeses reported significantly higher scores especially for shape, texture, interior openings, taste and aftertaste. This study demonstrated the beneficial effect of the addition of selected autochthonous cultures in accelerating the disappearance of undesirable flora and improving the typical sensory characteristics of the cheese, and confirmed the importance of ewes' milk as a source of technologically interesting strains that could be used to ensure a higher quality of artisanal cheese productions.     

Comparison of the compositional, microbiological, biochemical, and volatile profile characteristics of nine Italian ewes' milk cheeses

Nine Italian ewes’ milk cheeses were compared for compositional, microbiological, biochemical, and volatile profile characteristics. Mean values for the gross composition were rather similar among cheeses. The lowest pH values were found for cheeses that used primary starters. At the end of ripening, cheeses made from raw milk contained >6.0 log₁₀ cfu/g of nonstarter lactic acid bacteria. Several species of lactobacilli were identified, but Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus paracasei were dominant. Random amplified polymorphic DNA-PCR analysis showed the biodiversity among the strains, and in several cases a relationship with the cheese of provenance. Cheeses differed mainly for secondary proteolysis, as shown by the principal component analysis applied to reversed-phase fast protein liquid chromatography data of the pH 4.6-soluble fractions and by determination of the free AA. A total of 113 volatile components were identified in the Italian Pecorino cheeses by solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. The volatile profiles of the 9 cheeses differed significantly. Quantitatively, alcohols were the most abundant chemical class for some cheeses, whereas ketones were the most abundant for other cheeses. Esters and carboxylic acids were largely found. Specific volatile components seemed to distinguish specific cheeses.     

Effect of the use of three different lamb paste rennets on lipolysis of the PDO Pecorino Romano Cheese

Two rennet pastes were prepared from lambs on different diets, and then, together with a commercial lamb rennet paste, were used to produce protected designation of origin (PDO) Pecorino Romano cheeses. Chymosin activity and lipolytic activity were higher in the prepared rennets than in the commercial rennet. Lipolysis was greatest in cheese produced with one of the prepared rennets. Both quantitative and qualitative differences in free fatty acids were found in the cheeses. The taste of cheeses made with the prepared rennets was preferred by an expert sensory panel and also considered more piquant than that of cheese made with commercial rennet. The results indicate that both the diet of the lambs and slaughtering conditions should be regulated to produce rennet that preserves the traditional characteristics of PDO Pecorino Romano cheese. Both lipolytic and proteolytic properties of rennet pastes should be standardised for the preparation of such cheeses.     

Comparison of dynamic headspace and simultaneous distillation extraction techniques used for the analysis of the volatile components in three European PDO ewes’ milk cheeses

This preliminary study aims to compare two different extraction and concentration methods often used for the gas chromatographic analysis of volatile components in food to determine the advantages and drawbacks of both for future routine investigation of PDO (protected designation origin) ewes’ milk cheeses. Roncal, Pecorino Sardo and Fiore Sardo were investigated at different ripening stages. The dynamic headspace technique using a Purge & Trap device (DHS) makes it possible to extract more highly volatile compounds than the simultaneous distillation extraction (SDE) method. Consequently, the latter is more efficient for extracting low-volatile components such as phenols, free fatty acids, lactones and longer-chain aldehydes, ketones, alcohols and esters. These two extraction methods are therefore complementary.     

Effect of different ventilation regimens on ewes' milk and Canestrato Pugliese cheese quality in summer

The influence of three different ventilation regimens on air pollution in sheep houses and on the quality of ewe milk and of Canestrato Pugliese cheese was investigated during the summer season. The experimental treatments were low ventilation regimen (VR=35 m3/h per ewe) split in 30-min ventilation cycles (LOV-30); moderate ventilation regimen (VR=70 m3/h per ewe) split in 30-min ventilation cycles (MOV-30); moderate ventilation regimen (VR=70 m3/h per ewe) split in 60-min ventilation cycles (MOV-60). The LOV-30 milk had higher microbial load and bulk milk somatic cell count (BMSCC) and resulted in a weaker casein matrix in the curd compared with the MOV-30 and MOV-60 treatments. At 45 d of ripening, the LOV-30 cheeses had a lower casein content and higher non-casein nitrogen (NCN) and water-soluble nitrogen (WSN) contents than the MOV-30 and MOV-60 cheeses. Urea-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (urea-PAGE) of the pH 4.6-soluble N extract showed that the MOV-60 cheeses had fewer bands derived from casein (CN) hydrolysis than the LOV-30 or MOV-30 cheeses, despite its having exhibited the highest plasmin (PL) activity levels. Our results suggest that the ventilation regimen is critical in dairy sheep housing for optimizing the hygienic quality of ewe milk and the proteolytic processes occurring in Canestrato Pugliese cheese during ripening.     

Effects of ventilation rate and of dietary protein level in an intensive dairy sheep system on the features of Canestrato Pugliese cheese

Effects of ventilation rate and of dietary protein level in an intensive dairy sheep system on the features of Canestrato Pugliese cheese were studied. Cheeses were manufactured from the bulk milk obtained from ewes subjected to four different experimental treatments: (1) low dietary crude protein (CP) of 13% in dry matter (DM) at a low ventilation rate (23.5 m3/h per ewe) (LPLV); (2) low dietary CP at a moderate ventilation rate (47 m3/h per ewe) (LPMV), (3) moderate dietary CP of 16% DM at a low ventilation rate (MPLV); and (4) moderate dietary CP dietary at a moderate ventilation rate (MPMV). Bulk milk and cheeses (at 1, 15, 45 and 90 d of ripening) were analysed for chemical composition, N fractions and plasmin-plasminogen activities. The pH 4.6-soluble and insoluble N fractions were analysed by urea-PAGE. Bulk milk from ewes receiving the low CP diet displayed higher casein and lower urea contents. Ewes subjected to the low ventilation rate displayed a higher plasminogen activity in milk, whereas no differences emerged among treatments in the conversion of zymogen to plasmin. During ripening the plasmin-plasminogen system in cheese did not display significant changes across treatments. At 90 d of ripening, the cheese produced with milk from ewes receiving the low CP diet and exposed to the low ventilation rate displayed more markedly stained bands in the area of gamma-caseins in pH 4.6-insoluble N fraction. As from 15 d of ripening, the pH 4.6-soluble fraction showed a greater number of bands in the LPMV and MPMV than in the LPLV and MPLV cheeses. The results showed that Canestrato Pugliese cheese manufactured with milk from ewes fed the low CP diet and exposed to the moderate ventilation rate was characterized by higher protein and casein content in the fresh cheese and by a greater proteolysis after 90 d of ripening.     

A NMR metabolomics study of the ripening process of the Fiore Sardo cheese produced with autochthonous adjunct cultures

Fiore Sardo (FS) is a traditional Italian raw ewe’s milk cheese carrying a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO). This study investigated the kinetics of FS cheese ripening by physicochemical parameters, microbial counting, and NMR metabolomics using aqueous extracts. Four Fiore Sardo cheeses, manufactured from milk with deliberately added autochthonous lactic acid bacteria (LAB) or commercial starters were studied during a period of 90 days of ripening. Major differences in the metabolic profiles were observed amongst the samples as a function of the adjunct culture utilised. ¹H NMR metabolomics in combination with multivariate data analysis was able to classify cheese samples on the basis of their maturation age and the type of added cultures. These findings lay the metabolic basis for the authentication of Fiore Sardo cheese produced in compliance with PDO specifications which allow the use of only native LAB cultures.     

Volatile composition and sensory properties of industrially produced Idiazabal cheese

The volatile composition and sensory properties of industrially produced Idiazabal cheeses made from ewes’ raw milk (RM) or pasteurised milk (PM) and with addition of different starter cultures were compared. Cheeses were analysed at 90 and 180 d of ripening. Acids were the major volatile compounds in RM cheeses. Methyl ketones were the major volatile compounds in PM cheeses at 90 ripening days. However, the content of acids strongly increased with ripening whereas the content of ketones decreased in PM cheeses. The concentration of esters was higher in RM cheeses than in PM cheeses. No differences were found in the content of alcohols. Most aldehydes, hydrocarbons, terpenes and furans identified were minor volatile compounds in both RM and PM cheeses. In RM cheeses, characteristic sensory attributes for the aroma of Idiazabal cheese were present at 3 months, whereas in PM cheeses those desirable sensory attributes did not appear until 6 months of ripening.     

Quality of milk and of Canestrato Pugliese cheese from ewes exposed to different ventilation regimens

Effects of ventilation regimen on the quality of ewes' milk and on proteolysis in Canestrato Pugliese cheese during ripening were studied. Cheeses were manufactured from the bulk milk of Comisana ewes subjected to three different ventilation regimens, which were designated low (LOV, 23 m3/h per ewe), moderate (MOV, 47 m3/h per ewe) and programmed ventilation regimen (PROV, 73 m3/h per ewe; fan set to maintain 70% relative humidity). Bulk milk was analysed for chemical and microbial composition, renneting parameters and plasmin-plasminogen activities. At 1, 15, 30 and 45 d of ripening, the cheeses were analysed for gross chemical composition, nitrogen fractions, and plasmin and plasminogen activities. The pH 4.6-insoluble nitrogen fractions were analysed by urea-PAGE. Free amino acid content was determined at the end of ripening. Lower concentrations of bulk milk somatic cell count (BMSCC) and of mesophilic bacteria were found in the MOV group than in the LOV and the PROV groups. A lower plasminogen (PG) to plasmin (PL) ratio (PG/PL) was observed in the MOV and PROV than in the LOV cheeses. Irrespective of treatment, PL activity in cheeses was higher at 15d of ripening, while a sudden decrease of PL and PG activities was observed at 30 d, which was associated with a marked increase in non-protein nitrogen. The peptide profile characterized in the urea-PAGE showed a greater intensity of alpha- and beta-CN hydrolysis in the MOV than in the PROV and LOV cheeses. The results provide evidence that a proper ventilation regimen is critical for optimizing the hygienic quality of milk and the proteolysis of Canestrato Pugliese cheese during ripening.     

Effect of a pre-treatment of milk with high pressure homogenization on yield as well as on microbiological, lipolytic and proteolytic patterns of "Pecorino" cheese

The principal aim of this work was to compare Pecorino cheeses obtained from ewes' milk previously subjected to high pressure homogenization (HPH) at 100 MPa with those produced from raw and heat treated ewes' milk. The HPH milk treatment induced a significant increase of the cheese yield and caused a reduction of enterococci, lactococci and yeasts in the curds. Enterococci cell loads remained at lower levels in cheeses obtained from HPH milk over the ripening period. Analyses of free fatty acids, Sodium Dodecil Sulphate (SDS)-PAGE profiles, Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry-Solid Phase Microextraction (GC-MS-SPME) measurements of volatile compounds and sensory traits evidenced that the pressure treatment can be regarded also as a useful tool to differentiate products obtained from the same raw material. In fact such a milk treatment induced a marked lipolysis, an early proteolysis, a relevant modification of the volatile molecule profiles and sensory properties of Pecorino cheese.     

Influence of starters on chemical, biochemical, and sensory changes in Turkish White-brined cheese during ripening

Turkish White-brined cheese was manufactured using Lactococcus strains (Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis NCDO763 plus L. lactis ssp. cremoris SK11 and L. lactis ssp. lactis UC317 plus L. lactis ssp. cremoris HP) or without a starter culture, and ripened for 90 d. It was found that the use of starters significantly influenced the physical, chemical, biochemical, and sensory properties of the cheeses. Chemical composition, pH, and sensory properties of cheeses made with starter were not affected by the different starter bacteria. The levels of soluble nitrogen fractions and urea-PAGE of the pH 4.6-insoluble fractions were found to be significantly different at various stages of ripening. Urea-PAGE patterns of the pH 4.6-insoluble fractions of the cheeses showed that considerable degradation of α_s1-casein occurred and that β-casein was more resistant to hydrolysis. The use of a starter culture significantly influenced the levels of 12% trichloroacetic acid-soluble nitrogen, 5% phosphotungstic acid-soluble nitrogen, free amino acids, total free fatty acids, and the peptide profiles (reverse phase-HPLC) of 70% (vol/vol) ethanol-soluble and insoluble fractions of the pH 4.6-soluble fraction of the cheeses. The levels of peptides in the cheeses increased during the ripening period. Principal component and hierarchical cluster analyses of electrophoretic and chromatographic results indicated that the cheeses were significantly different in terms of their peptide profiles and they were grouped based on the use and type of starter and stage of ripening. Levels of free amino acid in the cheeses differed; Leu, Glu, Phe, Lys, and Val were the most abundant amino acids. Nitrogen fractions, total free amino acids, total free fatty acids, and the levels of peptides resolved by reverse phase-HPLC increased during ripening. No significant differences were found between the sensory properties of cheeses made using a starter, but the cheese made without starter received lower scores than the cheeses made using a starter. It was found that the cheese made with strains NCDO763 plus SK11 had the best quality during ripening. It was concluded that the use of different starter bacteria caused significant differences in the quality of the cheese, and that each starter culture contributed to proteolysis to a different degree.     

Accelerated ripening of Caciocavallo Pugliese cheese with attenuated adjuncts of selected nonstarter lactobacilli

The nonstarter lactic acid bacteria Lactobacillus plantarum CC3M8, Lactobacillus paracasei CC3M35, and Lactobacillus casei LC01, previously isolated from aged Caciocavallo Pugliese cheese or used in cheesemaking, were used as adjunct cultures (AC) or attenuated (by sonication treatment) adjunct cultures (AAC) for the manufacture of Caciocavallo Pugliese cheese on an industrial scale. Preliminary studies on the kinetics of growth and acidification and activities of several enzymes of AAC were characterized in vitro. As shown by the fluorescence determination of live versus dead or damaged cells and other phenotype features, attenuation resulted in a portion of the cells being damaged and a portion of the cells being capable of growing with time. Compared with the control cheese (without adjunct cultures) and the cheese with AAC, the addition of AC resulted in a lower pH after manufacture, which altered the gross composition of the cheese. As shown by plate count and confirmed by random amplification of polymorphic DNA-PCR, the 3 species of nonstarter lactobacilli persisted during ripening but the number of cultivable cells varied between AC and AAC. Slight differences were found between cheeses regarding primary proteolysis. The major differences between cheeses were the accumulation of free amino acids and the activity levels of several enzymes, which were highest in the Caciocavallo Pugliese cheeses made with the addition of AAC. As shown by triangle test, the sensory properties of the cheese made with AAC at 45d did not differ from those of the control Caciocavallo Pugliese cheese at 60d of ripening. In contrast, the cheese made with AC at 45d differed from both the Caciocavallo Pugliese cheese without adjuncts and the cheese made with AAC. Attenuated adjunct cultures are suitable for accelerating the ripening of Caciocavallo Pugliese cheese without modifying the main features of the traditional cheese.     

Suitability of selected autochthonous lactic acid bacteria cultures for Pecorino Sardo Dolce cheese manufacturing: influence on microbial composition,nutritional value and sensory attributes

The use of an autochthonous starter culture made up by Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus casei in the production of experimental Pecorino Sardo Dolce PDO resulted in a high presence of presumptive mesophilic lactococci and lactobacilli, ~10 log colony‐forming units (cfu), and in significantly higher amount of total free amino acids and free fatty acids, 195.1 vs 178.9 and 328.6 vs 191.8 mg/100 g of experimental vs control cheese (made using a commercial starter) respectively. The experimental cheese also displayed better sensory properties such as taste and aftertaste.