Physico-chemical and sensory characteristics of Spanish goat cheeses

In this study the physico-chemical characteristics, secondary proteolysis (nitrogen fractions) and sensory properties (odour, taste and texture) of 18 cheeses made with pasteurised goat milk by several producers in Castilla-La Mancha, Spain, was made. The cheeses were heterogeneous in their physico-chemical properties. Differences among cheeses were only significant (P< 0.05) for dry matter (DM), water activity (a(w)), NaCl and nitrogen fractions. These results,suggest that proteolysis was generally not very intense. The cheeses were broadly similar to other Spanish goat cheeses in their physico-chemical characteristics. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of sensory properties showed that the attributes that contributed most to the cheeses differentiation were odour descriptors (goat milk odour, brine odour and butter odour) and textural attributes: hardness, pastiness, humidity, friability and adhesiveness. Sensory analysis proved to be a valuable tool for grouping cheeses: these goat cheeses may be classified as full-fat to extra-fat, and as semi-cured to cured cheeses.Peer reviewe