Detection of carbonyl sulphide in Cheddar cheese headspace

Abstract

SummaryCarbonyl sulphide (COS) was detected in the headspace of Cheddar cheeses in concentrations ranging from 0·01 ng ml-1 to 0.3 ng ml-1. It was also found in the headspace above certain packaging materials and sealing materials used in the analytical procedures. Evidence that COS was produced within the cheese was given by the findings that experimental cheese containing added cysteine had consistently higher COS levels (up to 1·0 ng ml-1) and that COS could be produced chemically from mixtures of cysteine or methionine with riboflavin and ascorbic acid in laboratory trials.