Impact of Milk Fat Composition on Diffusion and Perception of Flavour Compounds in Yogurts

The aim of the present study was focused on the level of solid milk fat level in flavoured yogurt on their rheological properties, flavour release and diffusion in relation to their sensory properties. Whereas variation of solid fat level slightly influenced texture perception of yogurts, a large effect of solid fat level on flavour release and olfactory perception was highlighted. At 10°C, the odour of yogurt with the highest solid fat fraction (82%) was perceived more intense than yogurts with the lowest solid fat fractions (25% and 70%), in agreement with aroma release (for 10/17 flavour compounds). The diffusion of flavour compounds in the yogurt was slightly affected by the solid fat level. All these results demonstrated that it is not the total fat content that govern flavour release and perception but the uncrystalline or liquid fat content.