The effect of pasteurization temperature on consumer acceptability, sensory characteristics, volatile compound composition, and shelf-life of fluid milk.

The relationship among consumer acceptability, descriptive sensory attributes, and shelf-life was determined for 2% milk pasteurized at 77, 79, 82, and 85 degrees C. Sensory descriptive attributes and volatile compound composition were monitored over the shelf-life of the products to determine if treatments could be differentiated at various times through out the shelf-life of the product. Consumers preferred 79 degrees C milk over other treatments on d 0; however, at d 6 postpasteurization, 79 and 82 degrees C milks were preferred over the 77 degrees C treatment. Consumers were grouped into 8 clusters based on product liking for both d 0 and d 6 evaluations. The largest cluster liked all pasteurization treatments, and 79 degrees C milk was highly acceptable to all consumers who liked milk. Similar sensory descriptors indicated the end of shelf-life for all pasteurization treatments even though treatments could be differentiated by descriptors on d 0. This research reveals that altering the pasteurization temperature from 79 degrees C may cause a decrease in consumer acceptability to some consumers. Also, altering pasteurization temperature did not affect shelf-life or sensory descriptors and volatile compound composition at the end of shelf-life.