Caratterizzazione di un formaggio commerciabile attraverso la definizione del suo profilo sensoriale: l'esempio del Grana Padano.

A methodological approach for characterisation, through the sensory profile, of a standardised product, like the Grana Padano cheese, has been reported. Quantitative Descriptive Analysis was applied by a trained panel of 7 judges to samples of known origin having different ripening times. Generalised Procustes Analysis was utilised to describe the sensory differences between cheeses; in particular the flavour by mouth "milk", "bouillon cube" and "dry mushrooms" resulted typical of Grana Padano at the suitable ripening level. Spider plots reporting the sensory profile of the samples at different ripening times were built on the basis of the sensory attributes selected by the panellists. The sensory profile of Grana Padano aged 15 months (the minimum time required for commercialisation of this product) was utilised as a reference standard and compared with the sensory characteristics of the Grana Padano samples having different ripening times