Why is it so Gouda? Scientists solve mystery
It’s one of the mysteries that have perplexed cheese experts for decades; now a team from a German university say they have discovered why mature Gouda is so tasty.
The University of Munster scientists say they have identified the key elements responsible for the deep, lingering flavour of the classic Dutch cheese.
Thomas Hofmann, Simone Toelstede and Andreas Dunkel used molecular sensors to pinpoint six “gamma-glutamyl peptides” that are said to be chiefly responsible for the “kokumi sensation” — the cheese’s characteristic hearty taste.
Their findings were reported in the latest Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry under the enticingly scientific title: “A series of Kokumi Peptides Impart the Long-Lasting Mouthfulness of Matured Gouda Cheese.”
“Comparative sensory analysis revealed that a 44-week-matured Gouda cheese exhibited a much more pronounced mouthfulness and long-lasting taste complexity when compared to a young Gouda cheese ripened for only 4 weeks.”
Despite the obvious importance of this find, the scientists’ key conclusions are nevertheless something that would probably have been apparent to cheese aficionados when Gouda first arrived on the scene 800 years ago.