In this study, four different fresh Kashar cheese samples were ripened for 90 days. The physicochemical properties, texture attributes, fatty acid composition and volatile compound profiles of the samples were measured every 30 days of ripening. The texture properties of the cheese samples were significantly affected by the duration of the ripening period. The results of this study highlighted that texture parameters as a function of ripening period should be considered for both fresh and aged Kashar cheeses to determine the ripening period as they are very important for consumer acceptability and consumption of the end product.Keywords Fresh Kashar cheese, Ripening, Texture, Volatile compound.
INTRODUCTIONIn Turkey, more than fifty different cheese varieties have been produced (Hayaloglu et al. 2002) and Kashar is one of the most widely consumed traditional cheese varieties. Kashar cheese is classified based on ripening period and texture characteristics as fresh Kashar (semihard) and old Kashar (hard). The fresh Kashar cheese is produced from pasteurised milk (sheep or cow's milk) and it is sold as unripened, while old Kashar is matured for at least 90 days (TSE 1995). Ripening is a very important process leading to alterations in the content of aromatic compounds, texture and sensory properties (Sousa et al. 2001).The texture of the cheese depends upon the chemical composition of the cheese and biochemical changes occurring throughout ripening (Awad 2006). Textural parameters of the cheese samples are also influenced during the ripening period by pH, moisture and salt content of the sample . Moreover, proteolysis causing to form creates peptides having different molecular weights by breakdown of casein, which plays an important role in changes of the textural parameters of the cheese (Gunasekaran and Ak 2003). Cheese texture has an important role in determining consumer acceptability and the end use of the sample (Everard et al. 2006); therefore, observation of these properties as a function of ripening period is very important for producers to determine the ripening time necessary for obtaining cheese with the desired textural properties. Researchers have sought to correlate the textural and sensory characteristics of the cheese samples due to its importance for consumers. To determine textural properties of the samples, texture profile analysis (TPA) is widely used in the food industry. TPA simulates the compressing action of the teeth during mastication (Bourne 1978) and provides information about the hardness, adhesiveness, springiness, cohesiveness, gumminess, chewiness and resilience of the samples. All of these parameters should be considered during production. For example, springiness refers to the recoverability of the sample after it is exposed to forces applied during storage, handling and transportation. Therefore, the springiness value could be taken into consideration during the determination of ageing period for obtaining cheeses with this desired quality.During cheese ripening, many biochemica...