Flavour and shelf life of fresh spreadable cheeses

Aim of the research is to study the volatiles in a fresh spreadable cheese in order to evaluate the shelf-life period in which “freshness” is maintained. The research has been applied to samples of a goat fresh cheese, produced in laboratory using selected cultures; the samples were analysed at the production time and during the refrigeration at + 4°C. The volatile compounds have been extracted using HS-SPME and analysed by GC/MS; the data obtained was correlated with the microbiological and physicochemical characteristics of the product. The used technique allowed the quantification of fifty-seven volatile components, exactly: fatty acids and their ethyl, butyl and hexyl esters, ketones, aldehydes, alcohols, diacetyl, acetoin, hydrocarbons, monoterpenes, aromatic compounds, sulphurated compounds and lactones; spectral data, injection of standards and linear retention indices were used to confirm the identification. ANOVA and PCA concurred to estimate the significant differences of the composition during the storage of the product, to detect the decrease of cheese freshness and to define the critical days during shelf-life.