Determination of some physichemical properties and fatty acid compositions of geographically signed Ezine and Edirne white cheese and Malkara aged kashar cheese

In this study, some distinctive physicochemical properties, mineral content and fatty acid compositions of Ezine Cheese, Edirne white cheese and Malkara aged kashar cheese registered with geographical indication were determined. The data obtained were compared with some physicochemical properties in geographical indication registration documents and cheese varieties in its class without geographical indication. For this purpose, 90 cheese samples were obtained in packages from 23 different local producers in Edirne, Tekirdağ, Çanakkale and Kırklareli provinces. Drymatter (%), ash (%), salt (%), protein (%), titrationacidity (% lactic acid), acid number (mgKOH/g fat), color values of cheese samples were determined. In addition, fatty acid compositions of cheese samples were determined by gas-liquid chromatography, and some mineral substance amounts were determined by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). With this study, it is suggested to include fatty acid composition, protein ratio, acid number (% free fatty acidity), color (L, a, b) values with in the scope of characteristic feature sincluded in registration documents. With more comprehensive studies, there gistration documents of there lated cheese varieties should be revised by including the characteristic features in the scientific data of the aroma characterization, texture properties, and aroma-active components.