Quantitative Determination of Lactones in Cheddar Cheese

Lactones in Cheddar cheese were determined by a simple column extraction technique followed by gas chromatography of the cheese extract. Gamma carbon-12 and delta carbon-10, -12, and-14 were determined quantitatively and correlated with development of cheese flavor. The quantities of the lactones indicate that they may be important to Cheddar cheese flavor. In addition, the greater quantities of the lactones of longer chain length in rancid cheese indicate the possibility of an alternate mode of formation.