Volatile components of Grana Parmigiano-Reggiano type hard cheese

Abstract

GC–MS analysis of volatile components of Grana Parmigiano-Reggiano type Italian hard cheese was performed by solid phase micro extraction (SPME) and Purge & Trap (PT) methods. Half of the 24 samples analysed were produced in flat land (<90 m over sea level), the other half in mountain (90–600 m) regions, by small to medium cheese factories. The composition of the volatile components reveals more dependence on the individual factories than on the geographic location. Ripening increases the difference among samples.