Volatile components of Grana Parmigiano-Reggiano type hard cheese

GC-MS analysis of volatile components of Grana Parmigiano-Reggiano type Italian hard cheese was performed by solid phase micro extraction (SPME) and Purge & Trap (PT) methods. Half of the 24 samples analysed were produced in flat land ( < 90 in over sea level), the other half in mountain (90-600 in) regions, by small to medium cheese factories. The composition of the volatile components reveals more dependence on the individual factories than on the geographic location. Ripening increases the difference among samples. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.