Abstract:

This paper seeks to highlight the contribution of sensory analysis in the consumption of cheese fortified with algae, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties as well as the ability to stimulate the immune system through antiviral activity. Additionally, ensuring food safety and the supply of high-quality products to the population is considered. There is an interdependence between quality and consumers, which is why the quality of a product is determined by the unit of characteristics it possesses, and therefore, the beneficiary (consumer) defines quality. "Quality is a moving target" (Juran,1998). The concept of quality is dynamic and complex and can be determined by the continuous increase in consumer requirements in relation to the development of fields of activity and technical-scientific progress. Quality is the central node of food product analysis, representing a set of attributes and characteristics of a finished/intermediate product that determines acceptance or refusal to be used in meeting certain requirements imposed from the research and design phase. For cheese, the components of quality are nutritional, sensory, hygienic, and aesthetic value. In the sensory analysis of cheese, all five senses are involved: visual, tactile, auditory, gustatory, and olfactory. The first three formulate responses regarding appearance, consistency, and partially, texture, while the last two are essential in identifying and accepting cheeses.