Some quality characteristics of fresh Kars kashar produced in mountain and plain regions in different seasons

In this research, total 24 fresh Kars Kashar cheeses were provided in the spring and summer seasons from the mountain and plain regions of Kars. The chemical, physical, sensory and microbiological properties of the collected samples were examined and the effects of seasonal and regional differences on the cheese characteristics were statistically investigated. The difference between two seasons were found significant on dry matter, fat and fat in dry matter, total free fatty acid, 5% PTA soluble nitrogen, a*, b* values and total mold count of Kashar cheeses produced in the mountain region (p<0.05). The difference of seasons influenced pH, dry matter, fat and fat in dry matter, water soluble nitrogen, 5% PTA soluble nitrogen, proteose-pepton nitrogen, curd firmness, L* and b* values of the Kashar cheeses produced in the plain region significantly (p<0.05). When comparing the two different regions in the spring season, the difference between values of L*, b* and total aerobic mezophilic bacteria count of Kars Kashar cheese were significant (p<0.05). In the summer season, the differences between pH, total free fatty acid, total free amino acid, L*, a* values were found significant among the cheeses produced in the milk factories in the mountain and plain regions of Kars (p<0.05). The difference between appearance, texture, taste and all impression scores of all Kashar cheeses was not significant (p>0.05).