Development of a Descriptive Language for Cheddar Cheese

TLDR

The study aims to develop a standardized sensory language for Cheddar cheese to improve training and communication across research groups. The authors collected 240 Cheddar samples, convened a 3‑day roundtable of 15 experts to generate flavor terms, refined these with an 11‑person trained panel, and validated the resulting lexicon on 24 cheeses. The resulting lexicon comprised 27 terms, 17 of which were common across most cheeses, and the panel successfully distinguished 24 cheeses using univariate and multivariate ANOVA (P < 0.05).

Abstract

ABSTRACT: A standardized descriptive language for Cheddar cheese flavor was developed and validated. Representative Cheddar cheeses (240) were collected. Fifteen individuals from industry, academia, and government participated in a 3‐d roundtable discussion to generate descriptive flavor terms. A highly trained descriptive panel (n = 11) refined the terms and identified references. Cheddar cheeses (24) were presented to the panel for validation with the identified lexicon. The panel differentiated the 24 Cheddar cheeses as determined by univariate and multivariate analysis of variance (P &lt; 0.05). Twenty‐seven terms were identified to describe Cheddar flavor. Seventeen descriptive terms were present in most Cheddar cheeses. A standard sensory language for Cheddar cheese will facilitate training and communication between different research groups.