Flavor Analysis of Dairy Products

The analysis and identifications of volatile flavor compounds in cow's mik, cheeses, and cultured dairy products have been the focus of active flavor research over the past several decades. During that period, the vast preponderance of the published flavor chemistry literature has focused on the qualitative and quantitative composition of volatile components in milk, cheeses, yogurt, and other cultured dairy products. A more contemporary objective of flavor research addresses the flavor relevance of newly identified aroma compounds in dairy-based foods. This chapter provides an overview and perspective of current sample preparation and flavor analysis techniques that are used to identify significant flavor components in dairy food systems.. Sensory-directed analytical approaches will be highlighted which have been applied to determine the most important aroma compounds in dairy products and ingredients.