Flavor Composition of Raw and Pasteurized Milk Cheddar Cheeses made from Milk Sourced from Different Producers

Terroir is a term in the United States that has come to be known as “taste of place.” It builds off the idea that a food’s organoleptic properties are defined by the environment, climate, and production practices. The impact of terroir and heat treatment to flavor composition of Oregon cheddar were explored. Milk was sourced from three individual farms, and two commingled sites in different eco-regions of Oregon. Dairy farms were selected with similar herds and similar farm management styles. Collection of milk occurred within a four week period while the Jersey herds were on a pasture-based diet. Cheddar was produced with raw and low-temperature long-time (LTLT) pasteurized milk at Oregon State University. Cheddar was aged at 5°C and two samples per cheese were extracted at five and nine months of aging. Flavor compounds were analysed using Gas-Chromatography Mass-Spectrometry (GCMS). At five and nine months 45 and 30 flavor compounds were identified respectively, consisting of acetates, alcohols, aldehydes, alkanes, alkenes, esters, fatty acids, ketones, lactones, nitrogen compounds, sulphur compounds, and terpenes. Principle component analysis (PCA) was performed. At both time points, samples separated based on milk source location, while the impact of heat treatment was inconclusive. Results suggest that the flavor composition of cheddar is impacted by milk sourcing and suggests that terroir may contribute to the characterization of a Cheddar cheese.