GRANA PADANO PDO – 24 MESI
Sensory Perception Guide
The outcome of the characterization of Grana Padano PDO cheese over 24 months is given below in terms of the scores of the individual descriptors, assessed as a general rule by 0 (lowest value) and 9 (highest value) and a graphical representation in the form of a spider plot.
Grana Padano PDO 24 months
EVALUATION of Grana Padano PDO of 24 months
When the packaging was opened, a good cheese fragrance of medium-high olfactory intensity was released.
The texture, assessed in terms of roughness on the split surface, was judged as good. The rind appearance in terms of thickness and stiffness appeared excellent. Appreciable was the typical color of the paste and excellent its appearance, judged in terms of the hardness degree. There were few crystals and no holes.
As regards the tactile descriptors and tasting-tactile descriptors, the cheese had an appropriate friability following rupture, no rubberiness, low solubility (“ability to melt with saliva”), an appreciable trigeminal sensation (the degree of irritation that induces salivation), a taste-tactile conformity (complex of friability, solubility, slight pungency and rubbish barely perceived in relation to the product type) that can be judged as excellent, a very low degree of greasiness, barely detectable adhesiveness.
As regards the taste descriptors, there was a low sweet sensation, the salty taste was slightly lower than medium degree, there was barely a residue of acid, a trace of bitterness, a high flavor, no perception of astringency, a low degree of spiciness, no residual aroma of milk or cream, for a high degree of taste conformity (the combination of salty sensations, low acidity, barely perceived bitterness that are characteristic of the product).
As regards direct olfactory descriptors, the characteristic aromatic intensity was well perceived and medium persistent.
With regard to the retrolfactive descriptors (flavor), the typical aromatic intensity was appreciable, there were no negative flavors (mold, stale, stable, smoked, cooked, medicinal product, abnormal or propionic fermentations, etc.), the aromatic profile was compliant to expectation, in an appreciable picture of positive aromas.