Volatile compounds were isolated from Cheddar cheese using direct thermal desorption (DTD) and analysed using comprehensive 2-D GC (GC x GC) coupled with TOF MS (TOF/MS). In total 12 aldehydes, 13 acids, 13 ketones, 5 alcohols, 3 hydrocarbons and 9 miscellaneous compounds were identified at desorption temperatures of 100, 150, 200 and 250 degrees C using mature Cheddar cheese. A temperature of 150 degrees C was found to be optimum for the DTD of volatiles from mature Cheddar cheese. The major components were acetic acid, butanoic acid, 3-hydroxy-2-butanone and 2,3-butanediol. A DTD temperature of 150 degrees C was used to observe the effect of maturation (mild, medium or mature) on the volatiles of Cheddar cheese. The major components of the volatiles of mild, medium and mature Cheddar cheese were almost the same. However, their percentage compositions were found to change with the stage of maturity. DTD is simple, fast and requires only a small amount of sample (approximately 10 mg) and works well with comprehensive GC x GC-TOF/MS. Comprehensive GC also separated a number of components which remained overlapped on the single column, such as octane and hexanal
