Application of two sensory methods to investigate the impact of heating on the flavor perception of a French blue cheese

Abstract

AbstractThe objectives of this study were (a) to characterize the flavor properties of raw and heated cheeses using two methods: temporal dominance of sensations (TDS) and descriptive analysis (DA) in order to explore the impact of heating on the taste of blue cheeses, and (b) to investigate the relative benefits of using these two methods. Twelve blue cheeses, raw (unheated) and heated (melted) at three different ripening times (35, 56, and 72 days) were evaluated by a trained panel using the TDS and DA methods. Although a small number of sensory attributes were used, the two methods conducted in parallel highlighted significant differences between cheese types. Different taste profiles were observed for the cheeses but heating modified only the perception of bitterness. Bitterness decreases after heating irrespective of the types of cheese with the DA method. On the other hand, the analysis of the TDS curves showed complex changes over time, and some subtle differences among the types of cheese were identified. The dominance of bitterness disappeared after heating for some cheeses except for 35‐day old cheeses. Overall, the combination of these two methods provides a more complete profile of the behavior of flavors, both in terms of intensity and dominance and in their evolution during the tasting.Practical ApplicationsThe use of these two methods (temporal dominance of sensations and descriptive analysis) on raw and heated cheeses at different ripening times permitted the identification of flavor profiles for these cheeses while providing additional information on the behavior of cheese taste over time. In this study, the effect of heating was also measured. Despite the differences in intensity of taste observed between the types of raw cheeses, cheeses have a similar taste profile after heating, except for the bitter taste which is significantly lower after heating irrespective of the types of cheese. These first results can be of interest to the dairy industry, allowing protected designation of origin cheeses to be promoted as ingredient cheeses in hot culinary preparations, while differentiating themselves through their gustatory richness.