###### Abstract  
The present study deals with the discrimination of various European cheese products based on spectroscopic data and chemometric analysis. It is the first study that includes cheese products from Cyprus along with cheese samples from abroad and several different cheese types. Therefore, forty-nine samples were collected, freeze-dried, and measured by using spectroscopic techniques, such as FTIR (Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) and \({}^{1}\)H-NMR (proton nuclear magnetic resonance). Discriminant analysis was applied, particularly OPLS-DA. All data obtained from \({}^{1}\)H-NMR were included, whereas, regarding the FTIR data, only the spectral subregion between 1900 and 400 cm\({}^{-1}\) was used in the extracted model. The cheese samples were classified according to the milk species' origin. In the future, the samples of this study will be enriched for further testing with spectroscopic techniques and chemometrics. cheese; chemometrics; FTIR; \({}^{1}\)H-NMR; milk species +
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ranging from 0 to 3 ppm is linked to signals originating from aliphatic groups of amino acids, organic acids associated with lactose and galactose glycolytic pathways, the Krebs (or citric acid) cycle, and alcohols. Within a mid-low field range spanning 3.1 to 5.3 ppm, signals are attributed to the presence of lactose. Typically, minimal signals are detected in the 5.5 to 9.0 ppm range, potentially arising from amide protons of proteins or the aromatic groups found in amino acids and phenolic compounds. In addition, acyl chains are presented in proteins; i.e., side-chain H and backbone H appear between 6 and 8 and 7 and 10 ppm, respectively. Aromatic H is located at 7-8 ppm [12; 13]. In the third region, the identification of formic acid, tyrosine, and phenylalanine is easily achievable. However, challenges emerge when attempting to assign the remaining spin systems, which come from olefin or ring protons [14]. Moreover, it has been proven that amino acids with -NH\({}_{2}\) or -NH\({}_{4}\)\({}^{+}\) groups exchange protons with a solvent such as deuterium oxide-containing water [15]. Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) is another powerful analytical technique used for assessing the authenticity and quality of cheese. FTIR, combined with chemometrics, offers a robust and versatile approach to the assessment of cheese quality and authenticity, providing valuable information for both research and industry applications [10; 11]. The MIR region, approximately 4000-400 cm\({}^{-1}\), provides quantitative compositional information about molecules. In the spectroscopic region of 1840-950 cm\({}^{-1}\), the FTIR spectrum can have bands due to the significant presence of lactose in dairy products [16]. In greater detail, a spectrum derived from a dairy product exhibits distinctive bands as follows: 3700-3200 cm\({}^{-1}\), indicative of -OH and -NH stretching in proteins; 3000-2800 cm\({}^{-1}\), associated with C-H stretching in fatty acids; 1750-1650 cm\({}^{-1}\), reflective of -C=O in fatty acids and esters; and 1650-1450 cm\({}^{-1}\), involving both -C=O and -NH of amides I and II in proteins. These vibrations result from various combinations within the peptide bonds and the secondary structure of casein protein. [PERSON] and [PERSON] [17] emphasized the importance of the 3200-2800 cm\({}^{-1}\) range for characterizing cholesterol. The amide I vibration, primarily associated with the stretching of C=O bonds, occurs between 1650 and 1550 cm\({}^{-1}\). Simultaneously, the amide II vibration, originating from the deformation of N-H bonds and the stretching of C-N bonds, is observed in the region from 1550 to 1450 cm\({}^{-1}\). Additionally, it is found at 1460-1150 cm\({}^{-1}\) for esters and aliphatic chains of fatty acids, and at 1200-800 cm\({}^{-1}\) for -C=O from polysaccharides and C=C stretching of acids [18; 19]. Concerning milk composition, [PERSON] et al.