From farm to fabric: Sensory characteristics of 100 Bulgarian cheeses made from cow's milk

Taste characteristics are decisive for the overall sensation of consuming traditional foods, especially those offered at farmers' markets. They are part of the sensory evaluation stage in determining the overall quality of goods based on establishing organoleptic indicators that highlight their specificity. Using a descriptive-analytical approach, methods of analysis and synthesis, as well as standardized experimental methods, the study presents the results of sensory evaluation using a scoring scale of 100 samples of traditional food products. Fifty varieties of artisanal and fifty types of industrial white brined cow's milk cheese produced in Bulgaria were evaluated. The general conclusions regarding the quality of the cheese samples tested, based on a 100-point scale for organoleptic evaluation, indicate that all samples are standard. The differences between the two groups – artisanal and industrial cheeses – are negligible. Keywords: sensory characteristics, white brine cheese, 100-point scale for organoleptic evaluation, industrial and artisanal production