US EPA

1463424 

Journal Article 

Enhanced nutty flavor formation in Cheddar cheese made with a malty Lactococcus lactis adjunct culture 

Whetstine, MEC; Drake, MA; Broadbent, JR, JR; Mcmahon, D 

2006 

Yes 

Journal of Dairy Science
ISSN: 0022-0302
EISSN: 1525-3198 

89 

9 

3277-3284 

English 

16899660 

10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(06)72364-5 

WOS:000239657200001 

Nutty flavor in Cheddar cheese is desirable, and recent research demonstrated that 2- and 3-methyl butanal and 2-methyl propanal were primary sources of nutty flavors in Cheddar. Because malty strains of Lac-tococcus lactis (formerly Streptococcus lactis var. malti-genes) are characterized by the efficient production of these and other Strecker aldehydes during growth, this study investigated the influence of a malty L. lactis adjunct culture on nutty flavor development in Cheddar cheese. Cheeses made with different adjunct levels (0, 10(4) cfu/mL, and 10(5) cfu/mL) were ripened at 5 or 13 degrees C and analyzed after 1 wk, 4 mo, and 8 mo by a combination of instrumental and sensory methods to characterize nutty flavor development. Cheeses ripened at 13 degrees C developed aged flavors (brothy, sulfur, and nutty flavors) more rapidly than cheeses held at 5 degrees C. Additionally, cheeses made with the adjunct culture showed more rapid and more intense nutty flavor development than control cheeses. Cheeses that had higher intensities of nutty flavors also had a higher concentration of 2/3-methyl butanal and 2-methyl propanal compared with control cheeses, which again confirmed that these compounds are a source of nutty flavor in Cheddar cheese. Results from this study provide a simple methodology for cheese manufacturers to obtain consistent nutty flavor in Cheddar cheese. 

Strecker aldehyde; Cheddar cheese flavor; adjunct culture; Lactococcus lactis