Detection of Volatile Compounds of Cheese and Their Contribution to the Flavor Profile of Surface-Ripened Cheese

The volatiles responsible for the typical aroma of cheese are produced mainly by lipolytic and proteolytic pathways and by the metabolism of lactose, lactate, and citrate. The volatile profile of cheese is determined by gas chromatography (GC), which includes the extraction, separation, and detection of volatiles. A wide range of extraction techniques is available, and technological improvements have been developed in GC separation and detection that enhance our understanding of the role of individual key volatiles to cheese flavor. To date, for surface-ripened cheese, the main volatiles detected that contribute to flavor include acids, ketones, alcohols, and sulfur compounds. However, based on the limited number of studies undertaken and the approaches used, it appears that a significant degree of bias possibly exists that may have over- or underestimated the impact of specific chemical classes involved in the flavor of these types of cheese.