Effects of starter culture and storage on volatile profiles and sensory characteristics of yogurt or cream butter

In this study volatile compounds and sensory properties of butter produced from cream or yogurt using Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis biovar. diacetylactis or Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. cremoris as well as a mixture of these two bacteria were investigated over 60 days. A total of 10 esters, 6 aldehydes, 11 ketones, 16 alcohols, 6 acids, 2 sulphides, 3 terpenes, and 3 miscellaneous compounds were detected. There were more volatile compounds in cream butter than in yogurt butter. While S-methyl thioacetate was only found in yogurt butter samples, hexanal, ethanol, 2-nonanone, 2-pentanone, 2-heptanone, acetic, butanoic (butyric) and hexanoic acid were the most abundant volatiles in both cream and yogurt butter. The results showed that the use of starter in the manufacturing of yogurt butter, which is traditionally produced without starters, affected the volatile compounds and sensory properties. The highest general acceptability scores were given to the butter samples containing mixed cultures at the end of storage.