Sensory properties of milk: understanding and analysis

Quality fresh milk is generally described by consumers familiar with the milk type as quite mild flavoured, with core creamy and sweet notes and a smooth, relatively rich mouthfeel. There are flavour differences that are species-specific, but these are overlaid within and between species by flavours that are determined mainly from the feed stock, the nature of which can vary widely through the seasons of the year. Preservation technologies and storage also add to the complexities of the flavour profiles of liquid milk in a time dependent manner. Depending on consumer familiarity and expectations, these flavour differences can be appreciated and desired, or can be deemed off-flavours or defects. There is a wide range of methods available for the sensory analysis of milk, both with trained panels that provide quantitative data on the sensory characteristics and the intensities of the attributes, and with consumers who provide preference and acceptance data.