Abstract: In order to investigate the consumer preference of cheeses, six samples of different types of popular imported cheese in Nanning, Guangxi were tested for nutrient composition, texture and sensory characteristics. The relationship between cheese textural properties and sensory properties was also studied by simple correlation and canonical correlation analysis. The results showed that Cheddar with moderate water content, better flavor and excellent texture was preferred by most consumers. The correlation coefficient was higher than 0.7 for firmness, gumminess and texture, whereas other correlation coefficients were lower than 0.7, indicating that the relationship between cheese textural properties and sensory properties arises from an obvious correlation with chewiness, guminess and texture patterns.

Key words: cheese, textural properties, sensory properties, canonical correlation analysis