Report: Formulate a cheddar cheese flavor? Check this out

A team of Chinese researchers led by Dr. Chen Chen in 2024 reported in the Journal of Dairy Science a study about organoleptic properties of the flavor components such as fatty acids, ketones, lactones, esters, aldehydes, and sulfury compounds which are commonly found in a cheddar cheese flavor. They identified some compounds can enhance or mask each other's flavor notes. The findings may help flavorists when formulating a cheddar cheese flavor.

In a stimulated cheddar cheese matrix including protein (23.6%), fat (29.5%), salt (1.34%) with water content (37.25%), and water activity (0.92), a full range of flavor compounds were evaluated with different methods such as Feller's additive model, σ–τ plot, and aroma addition experiment.

Evaluated compounds, which are commonly used to formulate cheddar cheese flavors, are six lactones (γ-octanolactone, γ-undecolactone, γ-dodecolactone, δ-octanolactone, δ-decanolactone, 2-undecolactone), four ketones (diacetyl, acetoin, 2-heptanone, 1-octene-3-ketone), seven aldehydes (3-methylthiopropionaldehyde, heptaldehyde, trans-2-nonenal, hexaldehyde, octyl aldehyde, phenylacetaldehyde, nonanal), four acids (caprylic acid, acetic acid, butyric acid, hexanoic acid), and a few other compounds (ethyl caproate, furfural, furanone, 3-methylindole, dimethyl trisulfide, and furfural.)

Here are some findings:

1. In the simulated cheddar cheese matrix, the odor threshold of six lactones and four ketones were determined:
   2-undecanone / fruity, green 6.61
   γ-undecalactone / fruity, peach-like 8.32
   γ-octalactone / fruity, coconut-like 8.51
   δ-dodecalactone / milky, sweetness creamy 13.80
   δ-octalactone / fruity, peach-like 19.95
   γ-dodecalactone / fruity / sweetness 38.02
   δ-decalactone / fruity peach-like 58.88
   2-heptanone / green sweetness 131.83
   diacetyl / milky 208.93
   acetoin / creamy 660.69*
   *ug/kg
2. Synergistic effects were found in seven binary combinations .
   (from strong to weak)
   δ-octalactone / diacetyl / buttery, creamy
   δ-octalactone / 2-undecanone / fruity, green and sweet
   δ-decalactone / 2-undecanone / fruity, sweet
   δ-dodecalactone / diacetyl / milk
   δ-dodecalactone / acetoin / milk, sweet and sour
   γ-undecalactone / acetoin / creamy, sweet and sour
   δ-octalactone / acetoin / milk
3. Masking effects were found in the following combinations (from strong to weak)

δ-dodecalactone / 2-heptanone / green
γ-octalactone / diacetyl / creamy, buttery
γ-dodecalactone / diacetyl / milk
γ-undecalactone / 2-heptanone / aldehyde, wax
γ-undecalactone / 2-undecanone / fruity, peach
δ-decalactone / acetoin / fruity, sweet
δ-octalactone / 2-heptanone / wax, green
γ-undecalactone / diacetyl / peach, milk
γ-octalactone / acetoin / buttery
γ-dodecalactone / 2-heptanone / green, sweet

4. Additive effects were found in the following combinations (from strong to weak)
   γ-dodecalactone / 2-undecanone / fresh, green
   δ-dodecalactone / 2-undecanone / fruity, sweet
   δ-decalactone / 2-heptanone / green, fruity
   γ-octalactone / 2-heptanone / fruity, green and sweet
   γ-octalactone / 2-undecanone / green
   δ-decalactone / diacetyl / coconut, milk

These interactive effects between flavor compounds commonly found in a cheddar cheese flavor may give flavorists a hint when multiple flavor ingredients are used to formula a cheese flavor.

The research paper was published at Journal of Dairy Science.