Microfiltration of milk fat globules for particle size affects key sensory parameters of Cheddar cheese

Descriptive sensory analysis discriminated between the appearance, aroma, flavor, taste and texture of Cheddar cheese samples prepared from milk varying in fat globule size; small milk fat globule milk (SMM, d_4,3 = 2.76 ± 0.07 μm), large milk fat globule milk (LMM, d_4,3 = 5.07 ± 0.06 μm) and Control (d_4,3 = 3.91 ± 0.09 μm), over a six-month maturation period. Significant differences were measured between SMM, LMM and the Control as each cheese matured, where SMM was the most different across all parameters examined. SMM was lowest in color intensity (34.6 < 38.8–47.0), firmness (29.4 < 36.1–47.7), and fracturability (24.5 < 28.8–30.7), and highest in cohesiveness (57.0 > 39.8–45.8), adhesiveness (52.9 > 39.0–45.4), and smoothness (50.4 > 37.9–44.0). Moreover, SMM was more intense than the Control in cultured odor (34.9 > 29.6–30.6) and flavor (45.5 > 34.9–36.2), rancid (23.3 > 16.0–18.6) and metallic (17.7 > 14.3) flavor, salty taste (45.7 > 40.3–40.5) and aftertaste (38.5 > 34.9–35.8), sour (36.3 > 28.9) and umami taste (19.6 > 16.4); attributes that align with the degree of maturation. LMM showed similar differences to the Control, but was firmer (36.1 > 29.4), less cohesive (45.8 < 57.0), adhesive (45.4 < 52.9) and smooth (44.0 < 50.4) and had a less intense cultured odor (31.5 < 34.9) than SMM. An increase in salty taste was associated with a decrease in cheese firmness (−0.91, p < 0.0001). These results could provide process-driven solutions that allow the dairy industry to decrease maturation time or create differentiated cheese products to meet specific consumer tastes or function.