Cross-modal interaction between cheese taste and aroma

The relative contributions of taste and aroma to the perception of cheese flavour intensity were investigated using a simultaneous gustometer olfactometer. Within a mixture of five tastes and a multicomponent aroma that had a mature Cheddar cheese character, the levels of NaCl, monosodium glutamate (MSG), lactic acid, and aroma were varied according to a 24 full factorial design, all with appropriate controls. NaCl, lactic acid, and aroma significantly contributed to cheese flavour intensity while MSG did not. The contribution of NaCl, lactic acid, and aroma revealed their potential to enhance cheese flavour intensity. These variables were able to compensate each other towards cheese flavour intensity. Changing the levels of taste and aroma together influenced the cheese flavour intensity greater than changing the levels of a single taste or aroma only. Variation in tastant concentration had a larger effect on cheese flavour intensity than did aroma.