Chemists from Technical University of Munich have found around 50 different chemicals which are responsible for flavouring elements in Parmesan cheese, which could help in monitoring the quality of the cheese.
The study authors focused on the non-volatile components of flavour in Parmesan cheese which define the taste of the cheese rather than its smell.
The researchers Hedda Hillmann and Thomas Hofmann sought the opinion of a trained panel of 12 tasters to rate the intensity of different taste sensations ranging from sweet or saltiness for samples of both solid Parmesan and water soluble extract containing the taste components separated from the cheese matrix.
They found that saltiness, bitterness, 'burning' tastes and a sensation of heartiness were the dominant features experienced by the tasters.
The study authors then used several analytical techniques to screen the cheese extract for compounds known to produce these tastes, and calculated which ones were present in high enough concentrations to be tasted.
The process resulted in a molecular blueprint for the Parmesan taste profile which determined the compounds responsible for each type of flavour.
For example, they found that high levels of sodium, potassium and chloride ions are responsible for the cheese's saltiness, and five biogenic amines including histamine, cadaverine and putrescene accounted for the 'burning' sensation.
In order to know whether the results could be used to manipulate the taste of the cheese, the researchers gave the tasting panel a cheese extract which was altered to include different proportions of the key ingredients. The tasters' scores did reflect the absence and presence of certain elements.
The researchers even recreated a cheese-like matrix which was similar to the real one by pressing together the taste compounds which they had identified with the isolated fats and protein from authentic Parmesan and 'maturing' the mixture overnight.
US Department of Agriculture chemist Michael Tunick opines that the research could interest the food industry. He was quoted as saying to Chemistry World: "The information in this study and others like it could be used to engineer food that tastes the same as the genuine product."
Image: Chemists study flavour composition of Parmesan cheese. Photo: Courtesy of Vichaya Kiatying-Angsulee/FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
