The Flash pro fi le technique was found to be adequate for the
assessment of the similarity of the odour pro fi les between micro-
biological models and food samples. This was the fi rst time that the
technique was tested for samples that were not of the same nature.
Using this technique, assessors ranked the samples according to
odour attributes related to blue cheese without these being sepa-
rated into real cheeses (blue cheese and Cheddar) and non-cheese
samples (models). It was expected that assessors would discrim-
inate between Cheddars and blue cheeses relatively easily, but in
addition, assessors were able to further differentiate the blue
cheeses into yellow (Blacksticks blue, Shropshire blue) and white
core (Roquefort, Danish blue) cheeses on odour assessment alone.