Relationships among rheological and sensorial properties of young cheeses

This study investigated the sensory and rheological properties of young cheeses in order to better understand perceived cheese texture. Mozzarella and Monterey Jacks were tested at 4, 10, 17, and 38 d of age; process cheese was tested at 4 d. Rheological methods were used to determine the linear and nonlinear viscoelastic and fracture properties. A trained sensory panel developed a descriptive language and reference scales to evaluate cheese texture. All methods differentiated the cheeses by variety. Principal component analysis of sensory texture revealed that three principal components explained 96.1% of the total variation in the cheeses. The perception of firmness decreased as the cheeses aged, whereas the perception of springiness increased. Principal component analysis of the rheological parameters (three principal components: 87.9% of the variance) showed that the cheeses' solid-like response (storage modulus and fracture modulus) decreased during aging, while phase angle, maximum compliance, and retardation time increased. Analysis of the instrumental and sensory parameters (three principal components: 82.1% of the variance) revealed groupings of parameters according to cheese rigidity, resiliency, and chewdown texture. Rheological properties were highly associated with rigidity and resiliency, but less so with chewdown texture.