AZ YAĞLI KAŞAR PEYNİRİ ÜRETİMİNDE EKZOPOLİSAKKARİT ÜRETEN KÜLTÜR KULLANIMI ÜZERİNE BİR ARAŞTIRMA

In this study, the impacts of an exopolysaccharide-producing (EPS+) starter culture on some quality characteristics of low fat Kasar cheese samples were investigated. For this purpose, four cheese samples were manufactured: cheeses containing 20% fat-in-dry matter with added 0.5% EPS+ and 1.0% EPS+ culture (EPS+0.5 and EPS+1.0), control cheese containing 20% fat-in dry matter (K20) and control cheese containing 40% fat-in-dry matter (K40). The samples were allowed to ripening for 90 days at 4 ± 1 °C and were evaluated for chemical, physical, sensory and microstructure qualities on the 1 st, 15th, 30th, 60th and 90th days of ripening. SEM images showed that textural characteristics of low-fat cheese samples could be improved by using EPS+ starter culture and of which had similar texture to the control cheese with 40% fat-in-dry matter. However, it was determined that defects in body and flavor became definite with an excessive increase in moisture level and the cheese with 1.0% EPS+ culture preferred less than the cheese with 0.5% EPS+ culture.