3. Sensory characteristics of cheese

Sensory characteristics of cheeses constitute probably the most important attributes driving consumers’ choice. Prior to and during ingestion itself, the consumer can perceive several sensory features of cheese, which are generally grouped under appearance, flavour and texture. All such attributes determine the eating quality of cheeses and consequently their eventual acceptability. There is a wide diversity of cheese types worldwide, each one with a unique sensory profile. It reflects the characteristics of the milk feedstock, the cheesemaking conditions and the physical and chemical changes throughout ripening. Consumer-driven demand of healthy foods has meanwhile led to development of food products with improved nutritional characteristics, including cheeses with low fat content and enriched in specific fatty acids. However, manufacture of these cheeses implies modulation of chemical composition of the milk or curd, which may hamper the expected sensory profile. In fact, cheeses with low fat content usually show atypical sensory attributes; conversely, enrichment in conjugated linoleic acid isomers and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids does not bring about significant sensory changes, thus unfolding the technical and market feasibility of cheeses with beneficial health features. The chief aim of this chapter is to briefly review the human perception of cheese sensory characteristics and discuss the impact of reducing fat content and increasing preferentially the levels of health-beneficial fatty acids upon the sensory profile of the final cheese.