The aim of this research was to compare the performance and sensory profiling of a panel of artisanal cheese producers against a trained panel and their relationship to consumer liking (external preference mapping). Performance was analyzed statistically at an individual level using the Fisher's test (F) for discrimination, the mean square error for repeatability, and Manhattan plots for visualizing the intra-panel homogeneity. At group level, performance was evaluated using ANOVA. External preference mapping technique was applied to determine the efficiency of each sensory profile. Results showed that the producers panel was discriminant and repetitive with a performance similar to that of the trained panel. Manhattan plots showed that the performance of artisanal cheese producers was more homogeneous than trained panelists. The correlation between sensory profiles (Rv = 0.95) demonstrated similarities in the generation and use of sensory profiles. The external preference maps generated individually with the profiles of each panel were also similar. Recruiting individuals familiar with the production of artisanal cheeses as panelists is a viable strategy for sensory characterization of artisanal cheeses within their context of origin because their results were similar to those from the trained panel and can be correlated with consumer liking data.

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Summary The research was performed to evaluate influence of the cultural context and the type of panel on sensory profiles of artisan goat cheeses. Two types of sensory panels from the goat cheese‐making region (experienced/trained artisan cheese producers vs. goat cheese consumers) and two types of sensory panels from a city area (trained descriptive panellists vs. cheese consumers) were formed. The sensory profiles generated with QDA® and Flash Profile techniques were compared using the hierarchical multiple factor analysis at two levels: type of panel and geographical area. This study demonstrated that sensory panels from the goat cheese‐making region used lesser attributes for characterising cheeses. Some discrepancies in sensory profiles were found between the two consumer panels. The two experienced/trained panels were more discriminative and their sensory profiles were similar. Recruiting artisan goat cheese producers for sensory profiling of their own products is a reasonable alternative when training is appropriately conducted.

Cheese making processRaw milk was received in cheese dairies, filtered, and pasteurized. Lyophilized lactic cultures of Lactococcus lactis and Lactococcus cremoris were added at 37 °C, the milk was curdled with calf liquid rennet (30 mL/100 L milk), and the curd was cut with a knife, pressed into plastic molds for 7 h (1 kg 2 kg -1 of force), held in a brine (28% salt), and stored at room temperature (25 ± 2 °C) for 2 days. SamplingThe milk used for the fresh goat cheese was obtained from goats of Alpine and Saanen breeds, milked manually.