Dairy food acceptance measured by non-traditional systems: operators’ convenience according to food law.

Food shelf-life is determined by food operator, moreover in view of responsibility that Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 provided. Many consumers choose food on the basis of their sensory experience and this is becoming more important for shelf life evaluation. The purpose of our research was to define some shelf life markers for experimental dairy samples; volatiles (v) profiles were studied by non-traditional methods. This report aims at a faster and pragmatic approach. Solid Phase Microextraction (SPME)/Gas Chromatography with Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) and a Smart Nose System (SN) were applied. ANOVA and principal component analysis were used to estimate the significant differences in (v) at 3°±1°C for a few days (d). Raw donkey’s milk was tested at two different temperatures (3°C and 7°C). Then a “mild/neutral” kefir from raw donkey milk, with specific starter culture, was analyzed. A further experience covered caprino cheese from pasteurized goat milk, with mesophilic culture (Chr.Hansen, Italy). Finally, a dairy operator requested to examine a stringy fresh cheese for the difficulties to define shelf life. Cheese from raw bovine, ewe, goat milk, and natural lamb rennet, was vacuum packaged (SV) and not packaged (C). Donkey milk had 7 (v). Acceptance of 10 d (+3°C) and 3-4 d (+7°C) was defined. 46 (v) were identified in kefir, with a 14 d acceptance; differences during shelf life were seen. For caprino cheese, 47 (v) were identified. Their amount, and ratios between (v), varied. A shelf life of 15 d was recommended. Caprino showed 13 and 17 (v) in C and in SV, respectively. The shelf life was 10 d for SV 10 and 3d for C 3. Analytical procedures were rapid and reproducible; sensory quality decay was monitored and parameterized in samples. The report approach might meet the need of food business operators according to EC Regulations.