Cheese powder of matured cheeses as natural flavour enhancer

Description

Cheese powders are used as functional and natural cheese flavour ingredients in various

industrial food applications, where they can be more convenient, in ease of use and storage,

than regular cheese. In addition, cheese powders produced from well matured cheeses have

the potential, at low dosage (0.5-2%), to replace taste and flavour enhancers such as mono

sodium glutamate (MSG) and yeast extracts; and give a balanced flavour profile and rich

mouth feel. Cheese powders produced from well matured cheeses may be used in applications

such as ready meals, biscuits, sauces, dips, processed cheese and savoury snacks, and cheese

powders used as flavour enhancers, aids in producing foods that are low fat, low salt, as well

as natural without any additives.

Cheese powder contains overall the same flavour components as the cheeses it is made from,

modified by some changes taking place during the cheese powder processing. Odour is

provided by volatile aroma compounds, and taste by water soluble substances such as amino

acids, short chain carboxylic acids, peptides and salts. In addition, taste- and flavour

enhancing effects might be provided by glutamic acid, some peptides, short chain carboxylic

acids, salt, nucleotides as well as interactions between those.

In the present study cheese powder was produced from a combination of selected well

matured cheeses such as hard type, smeared type and blue type cheese (Lactosan A/S (Ringe,

Denmark). Aroma compounds in the cheese powder were analysed by dynamic headspace

sampling GC-MS, and amino acids and carboxylic acids were analysed by HPLC. By sensory

profiling the effects of adding the cheese powder (1%) to a béarnaise sauce were evaluated

relative to a reference béarnaise sauce.

Compared to the reference the béarnaise sauce added cheese powder was more yellow in

colour, had a richer taste with a more well-balanced character, a less sourish taste, and a note

of cheese flavour. Of the aroma compounds identified in the cheese powder particularly some

sulfur compounds, aldehydes, methyl ketones and ethyl esters have the potential to impart

odour. Among the amino acids, glu contributes directly to taste enhancement of the béarnaise

sauce, and GABA, asp, ala, leu, met and ile were all present in the cheese powder at

concentrations above their taste threshold levels. Acetic acid, propanoic acid, lactic acid and

butanoic acid found in the cheese powder are likely contributors to the fullbodied taste of the

béarnaise sauce.

In summary, the cheese powder had a significant effect on the sensory properties of the

béarnaise sauce. The composition of flavour active components in the cheese powder has

been elucidated, and it can explain the observed effect. Exactly how the cheese powder

interacts with the components of the béchamel sauce and how the individual components

relate to the sensory parameters do, however, need further investigation.