The influence of a seasonal milk supply on the biochemical and sensory properties of Cheddar cheese

Cheddar cheese was manufactured using a standard procedure from early-, mid- and late-lactation (LL) milk from a spring calving herd. All cheeses were within acceptable quality thresholds, although some statistically significant compositional differences occurred. The rate of proteolysis over ripening was highest in cheeses made from LL milk and lowest in cheeses made from early-lactation (EL) milk. The level of free fatty acids (FFAs) in all cheeses was primarily influenced by levels of FFAs in the milk, which were highest in LL and lowest in EL. Lipolysis occurred during ripening, but was not influenced by stage of lactation (SOL). Volatile analysis generally discriminated the cheeses based on SOL, but sensory descriptive analysis clearly discriminated the cheeses based on extent of lipolysis. This study has demonstrated that a seasonal milk supply causes significant biochemical and compositional differences in Cheddar cheese, which in turn influence their sensory and volatile character.