This special issue of Dairy Science & Technology provides the opportunity to highlight some of the research presented at The Ninth Cheese Symposium held in Cork on 12th and 13th November, 2014. This symposium continued an established tradition of disseminating the latest cheese research and in providing a forum for researchers and industry to consider new concepts, to share experiences and knowledge, and to promote new applications of cheese research.

As with the Eighth Cheese Symposium of 2011, this Symposium was a collaboration between Teagasc Food Research Centre Moorepark, University College Cork (UCC) and Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), France.

The symposium focused on six main thematic areas: Health and Cheese, Cheese Quality and Safety, Cheese Sensory and Flavour Chemistry, Cheese Processability and New Analytical Technologies, Cheese Structure–Function Relationships, and Cheese Market Trends. The scientific programme comprised 35 speakers representing 17 different countries and 51 poster presentations, highlighting the diversity and depth of current international cheese research. Reflecting its position as an interface between research and industry, the 190 attendees who attended were comprised of 53% from research providers and 47% industry delegates and represented 27 countries in total.

We are very grateful to Dairy Science & Technology for accommodating this special edition and also for facilitating the peer review process for all submissions received. As The Ninth Cheese Symposium received very positive feedback from all participants, we would like to acknowledge the commitment and endeavour of all members of the scientific and organising committees, financial support from our sponsors, and the organisational support of Teagasc, UCC, and INRA. In addition, a particular mention must go to Ms. Niamh O’Brien who was central to all organisation matters. Finally, we hope that you value this special issue of Dairy Science & Technology as much as we do.

Dr Kieran Jordan

Dr. Kieran Kilcawley

Dr Diarmuid (JJ) Sheehan