DAIRY FLAVOR DESCRIPTORS With over 20 years of experience developing custom dairy concentrates, First Choice Ingredients has compiled a comprehensive list of the most common dairy descriptors. Featuring 73 dairy descriptions, you can use this sheet as a guide to help you along your flavor tasting experience.
Acetic The flavor of white vinegar; characterized Buttery Delicate, sweet dairy character like fresh by a sharp taste. Acetic acid occurs as a butter; not rancid, butyric or diacetyl-like. biproduct of bacterial fermentation. Butyric Distinctive aroma and flavor of sour or Acidic Bitingly sharp taste; characterized by rancid butter; derived as a biproduct of citric acid. oxidation or fermentation. Acrid Harsh or bitter; can be irritating to the Caramelized Characteristic of brown sugar, butter, mouth or nose. and cream cooked over high heat; smooth and sweet. Aftertaste The flavor impression that lingers after a food is swallowed. Caseinate The characteristic flavor of milk proteins, bland, sl. cardboard-like. Aged Mature, resulting from aging cheese to full flavor. Chalky The consistency of chalk; dry, precipitous. Ammoniacal The pungent, harsh aroma of ammonia; Cheesy Characteristic of ripened cheese; piquant biproducts of decomposing protein dairy/creamy notes. matter. Chemical An artificial character, volatile with a Animal The flavor and aroma associated with the sharp edge, unbalanced. hide, hair and flesh of beef and pork. Clean Fresh, with no discernible defects; Aromatic Fragrant; strong top note. no aftertaste. Astringent The sensation that dries the mouth; Cooked Heated, processed, rich brown notes. associated with the tannins in wine, Cowy Associated with a grassy, milky flavor; tea and grape seeds. slightly dirty. Barnyard Flavor and aroma of a barn; i.e. hay, Creamy The flavor of sweet cream; bland, manure, musty, horsey. rich, fatty. Bite Sharpness or bitterness; sometimes Cultured Fresh and tangy with mild sourness; associated with heat, as in black pepper resulting from the souring of milk by the or ginger. addition of cultures. Bitter Late, unpleasant, lingering astringent Dairy The combination of flavors that denote taste often from peptides, amino acids, butter, milk, cream, cheese, or whey; oxidized fatty acids. non-specific. Bland Low in flavor profile or having little to Diacetyl A chemical compound characterizing the no flavor. flavor of butter, milk fat and fermented Brothy Brothy/meaty type aroma and flavor. dairy products. Brown Overcooked, fermented. Earthy Smell or flavor reminiscent of freshly turned soil; moldy. The decomposition Aroma and flavor associated with Burnt of proteinaceous material. blackened, acrid carbohydrates. Fatty Oily, greasy, heavy, mouth-coating.
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Fermented Aromas and flavors resulting by the actions of Processed Characteristic of ingredients that have been held yeasts (fruity) and molds (musty). at high temperatures for long periods. Floral Having the sweet aromas and flavors associated Proteolytic Protein-type aroma and flavor, bitter and harsh; the with flowers. enzymatic breakdown of proteins to yield peptides. Fruity Aroma and/or flavor of sweet ripe fruits; Pungent A strong, penetrating aroma or flavor; irritating non-specific. In butter, an off-flavor associated to the oral and nasal cavities. with the esterification of butterfats. Rancid The off-flavor associated with the oxidation of Full-Bodied Overall complete flavor profile. fat or oil. Gamey Having the tangy flavor or aroma of game; Rich Full of flavor and robust. almost tainted, as if kept too long before cooking. Rindy Reminiscent of the thick outer layer of Goaty Animal-like, lingering, associated with a harsh surface-ripened cheese; i.e. Brie, Camembert. odor and sharp taste; caprylic acid. Savory Pleasant, umami, mouth-watering flavor. Grassy/Green The green notes of new grass; characteristic of Pungent aroma or flavor of biting acid or tannin. fresh foliage. Sharp Skunky Associated with a sulfurous odor; cooked cabbage. Harsh Rough, biting character. Smoky Aroma and flavor associated with burning wood. Hay The mellow notes of dry grass or straw. Soapy Flavor characteristic of unscented soap and Ketonic Solvent-like, heavy chemical top note; oxidized fats. characteristic of blue cheese. Sour Sharply acidic or vinegary. Lactonic Creamy, milky, coconut-like. Spicy Associated with the characteristics of spices; Lipolyzed Fatty, upfront sourness; treating dairy components top note. with lipase enzymes to produce fatty acids. Stale Loss of freshness. Musty, dry, flat, tasteless. Lingering Long-lasting flavor and late taste. Sulfury Aroma associated with pungent, over-ripe cheese. Milky A sweet, bland flavor with the slight sharpness of lactic acid. Sweaty Aroma associated with human body sweat, gym socks, and old shoes. Similar to “goaty.” Moldy The flavor characteristic of blue mold. Sweet Characterized by sugars and polyalcohols. Mouthfeel An agent to impart richness, smoothness, Further defined as ester sweet, citrus sweet, a texturizing effect. brown sweet, spicy sweet and sugary sweet. Musty Stale, moldy, earthy. Tart Sharp and a bit sour or acidic. Nutty Characteristic of the dry, brown, fatty, pyrazine The aroma and flavor characteristics associated flavor of nuts. Toasted with a complex browning reaction (heating Off-Flavors Unidentified flavors or odors that are carbohydrates). not characteristic. Top Note The initial character of a flavor perceived. Oxidized Rancid aroma or flavor, due to the overexposure Described as the “Fifth Taste Receptor”; of fats or oils to air. Umami savory and succulent.
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