Comparison of microflora, chemical and sensory characteristics of artisanal Manchego cheeses from two dairies

It is widely accepted that cheeses, although manufactured according to the regulations of the Appellation of Origins, show important differences in the sensory attributes mainly due to the milk used (raw or pasteurised). This paper reports on comparison of changes in the microflora and chemical parameters related with proteolytic and lipolytic processes that occurred throughout eight months ripening in artisanal Manchego cheeses manufactured in two dairies. The results obtained indicate few chemical or microbiological differences between the cheeses from the two dairies; there were, however, differences in the proteolysis and lipolysis that gave rise to small but important sensory differences between cheeses from both dairies. Odour attributes contributed most to the differentiation of cheeses from both dairies.