Taste and flavor of artisan and industrial Manchego cheese as influenced by the water-soluble extract compounds

The correlation between chemical and sensory analysis of the water-soluble extract compounds with molecular weight less than 1,000 Da (WSE < 1,000 Da) from Manchego cheese at different stages of ripening, as well as the influence of the pasteurization processes, has been studied. Free amino acids, peptides and volatile compounds were more abundant in raw milk cheeses WSE < 1,000 Da. Further fractionation of the WSE < 1,000 Da was carried on by gel permeation chromatography and amino acids, peptides, ions and volatiles were determined in the fractions. The same fractions were also subjected to organoleptic evaluation. Volatile compounds were related to the aroma and small peptides and amino acids to the taste. Volatile compounds were mainly alcohols and ketones. Fresh and floral notes were detected in the 4-month-old cheeses, which evolved into more intense and complex flavors in the 8-month-old cheeses. Peptides detected in the fractions were mainly hydrophilic. Umami taste was predominant in most of the fractions and it could be related to the presence of glutamic and aspartic acids in these fractions. Salty taste was perceived with high intensity in the fractions with a high content of salts. Bitter taste was mainly detected in the last eluting fractions and it was attributed to the Tyr, Phe and Trp residues found in these fractions. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.