Aroma-active components of liquid cheddar whey

Fresh Cheddar cheese whey batches from 2 processing plants and 4 starter culture rotations were extracted with diethyl ether followed by isolation of volatiles by high-vacuum distillation. Odorants were evaluated by gas chromatography-olfactometry (GCO) and aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA). 2,3-butanedione (buttery), hexanal (green), 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (popcorn), methional (potato), (E,E)-2,4-decadienal (frying oil) and (E,E)-2,4-nonadienal (frying oil) were potent neutral/basic aroma-active compounds identified in all whey samples. Odor intensities of hexanal, (E,E)-2,4-nonadienal, 2,3-butanedione, and (E,E)-2,4-decadienal were variable. Short-chain volatile acids were predominant in acidic fractions and their intensities differed among the whey samples. GCO findings agreed with quantitation results. Liquid whey aroma components are influenced by starter culture rotation.