Abstract: Solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS) was used to analyze the volatile compounds in 20 Kazak cheese samples collected from different regions of Xinjiang, China. A total of 52 volatile flavor compounds were detected in the cheese samples, and the major characteristic flavor compounds included acids (acetic acid, butyric acid, heptanoic acid, and octylic acid), alcohols (ethanol, phenyl ethanol and 3-methylbutanol), esters (ethyl acetate, ethyl hexanoate and ethyl octanoate), ketones (2-nonanone and 2-heptanone), aldehydes (hexanal, heptanal and nonanal), and terpene compounds. Principal component analysis showed that the flavor compounds of cheese from different areas were different, and discrimination between cheeses from Ili and Hami was excellent with clear distinctions. Cheeses from Altay and Tacheng showed a high degree of similarity in their volatile flavor composition and belonged to the same group. The main flavor compounds of Ili cheese were acetic acid, ethyl acetate, 3-methyl-1-butanol acetate, ethyl caproate, 2-methyl ethyl butyrate, 3-hydroxy-2-butanone, 2-butyl alcohol, 2-hydroxy ethyl propionate and 2-methyl propyl alcohol, and were different from those from other regions. The flavor of Barkol sample (H1) from Hami was better than that of other samples from the same region, with the dominant compounds being aldehyde (hexanal, 2-heptanal, benzaldehyde and nonanal), esters (ethyl propionate, butyl acetate, butyl propionate, 2-butyl acrylate, butyl butyrate) and 2-nonanone.

Key words: cheese, flavor compounds, solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS)