Effect of Yarrowia lipolytica on blue cheese odour development: Flash profile sensory evaluation of microbiological models and cheeses

Yarrowia lipolytica is among the most frequently occurring species in the secondary flora of blue cheeses. This organism produces a range of important aroma compounds for blue cheese flavour when cultured outside of cheese. However, trends in aroma profiles that are observed with instrumental analysis are not always evident in the perception of the aroma with sensory analysis. The odour perception of microbiological models combining Penicillium roqueforti and Y. lipolytica blue cheese isolates were compared with the odour of real blue cheeses using the technique of Flash profiling. Assessors (n = 9) ranked the samples according to their blue cheese odour intensity and discriminated the P. roqueforti + Y. lipolytica model from the model only containing P. roqueforti which was included as a control. The synergy between Y. lipolytica and the mould appears to be responsible for the production of blue cheese odour.