Sensory profile and Beijing youth preference of seven cheese varieties

The sensory characteristics that determined consumer preference of seven imported cheeses were investigated. Descriptive sensory analysis was performed by seven trained panelists who used 24 descriptors to quantitatively describe the sensory characteristics of these cheeses. Principal component analysis of descriptive data found significant differences between the cheeses (P < 0.05) on the first three principal components which accounted for 44%, 29% and 11% of the experimental variance, respectively. In parallel, the preference of 217 Beijing youth on these cheeses was expressed on a nine-point hedonic scale. Cluster analysis of the preference data identified five consumer clusters with different preferences and demonstrated that there existed a potential market for each of these cheeses. External preference mapping indicated a relative homogenous preference of Beijing youth for cheese flavor. “Soured milk”, “sour” and “milky” flavors and “rate of breakdown”, “slimy” and “moist” textures appeared to be drivers of liking for most Chinese youth, whereas “bitter”, “salty”, “umami” and “free fatty acid” flavors and “firmness” texture were drivers of disliking. In addition, “nutty” as a typical aged flavor in cheese was desirable to some consumer cluster and could be cultivated among Chinese.