Abstract:Descriptive sensory analysis was applied to investigate variations in the aromatic attributes of Rushan cheese at five different stages of storage (1, 15, 30, 45, and 60 d). Five aromatic attributes were selected to assess the cheese. The results of the sensory analysis indicated that sour, fruity, alcoholic, and rancid attributes showed highly significant differences (p＜0.001), while creamy attribute showed a less significant difference (p＜0.05), at the difference stages of storage. The volatile composition of the cheese was studied using solid-phase micro extraction and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. A total of 54 volatile compounds were isolated from the cheese at different stages of storage. On the first day, 17 types of compounds were detected, and the content was 16.8 mg/kg. After storing for 60 d, 45 types of compounds were detected, and the content was found to be increased to 219.5 mg/kg. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) modeling was performed to determine the correlations among the storage time, sensory attributes, and the volatile compounds of Rushan cheese. The results of the PLSR revealed that there were positive correlations between certain volatile compounds and certain sensory attributes, such as ketones and creamy; alcohols and alcoholic; and acids and esters with sour and rancid, respectively. Based on these results, the shelf life of Rushan cheese was estimated. This study provided a basis for improving the quality evaluation and control of Rushan cheese.
