Using Yellow hyssop/ Tarhana ( Echinophora tenuifolia subsp. Sibthorpiana)in making tulum cheese

INVESTIGATION OF THE EFFECT OF TARHANA HERB (Echinophora tenuifolia subsp. sibthorpiana) ON THE QUALITY OF ŞAVAK TULUM CHEESE In this study, the effect of tarhana herb ((Echinophora tenuifolia subsp. sibthorpiana)) on the quality of Şavak tulum cheese was investigated. For this purpose, two groups of tulum cheese were produced: one as the control group and the other as herby tulum cheese containing tarhana herb. In the production of the herby cheese, after the curd was formed, during the draining stage, a layer of curd was placed in the cheesecloth, followed by a layer of fresh tarhana herb brined at 2% of the milk used in cheese production, and the curd was drained. The curd was then placed in 100-gram plastic jars and stored at +4°C for 4 months. Microbiological (total mesophilic aerobic bacteria, total psychrotrophic aerobic bacteria, coliform bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, lipolytic bacteria, proteolytic bacteria, Lactobacillus–Leuconostoc–Pediococcus (LLP), lactic streptococci, yeast and mold) and chemical (fatty acids, vitamins retinol, D2, D3, α-tokoferol, stigmatokoferol, K2, K3, cholesterol, dry matter, fat, salt, acidity, and pH) quality parameters were examined on the first day of storage (day 0), and on the 30th, 60th, 90th, and 120th days. Sensory analyses were carried out starting from the 45th day of storage and, along with other analyses, were conducted on the 60th, 90th, and 120th days. Statistical analysis was performed to determine the significance of differences between groups and within days of each group. Microorganism counts (log10 cfu/g) were determined as follows: total mesophilic aerobic bacteria counts ranged from 7.02 - 8.20 in control cheese and from 7.55 -8.91 in herby cheese; total psychrotrophic aerobic bacteria counts ranged from 6.20 -6.79 in the control group and from 6.10 -7.34 in the herby group; LLP bacteria counts ranged from 5.76 - 8.41 in control cheese and from 6.87 -8.00 in herby cheese; lactic streptococci counts ranged from 7.37- 8.44 in control cheese and from 7.65 - 8.66 in herby cheese; lipolytic bacteria counts ranged from 7.76 - 8.32 in control cheese and from 7.90- 8.88 in herby cheese; coliform bacteria counts ranged from 4.70 - 5.38 in control cheese and from 4.80 - 5.74 in herby cheese; Enterobacteriaceae counts ranged from 6.21- 6.67in control cheese and from 6.02 -7.16 in herby cheese; yeast and mold counts ranged from 5.07 - 6.25 in control cheese and from 5.21 - 6.01 in herby cheese; proteolytic bacteria counts ranged from 4.86 - 7.23 in control cheese and from 4.65 -7.27 in herby cheese. Regarding chemical properties, pH values ranged from 5.72 - 6.39 in control cheese and from 5.82 - 6.51 in herby cheese; acidity ranged from 1.02- 2.03 in control cheese and from 1.14 - 1.96 in herby cheese; dry matter content ranged from 53.22% - 54.96% in the control group and from 52.17% - 53.66% in the herby group; fat content ranged from 47.15% -48.15% in control cheese and from 44.15% - 45.17% in herby cheese; salt content ranged from 8.61% - 9.16% in control cheese and from 8.22% -9.37% in herby cheese. Fatty acid composition, expressed as the percentage of each fatty acid examined, was as follows: total saturated fatty acids ranged from 48.71% -68.61% in the control group and from 48.62% - 68.75% in herby cheese; total unsaturated fatty acids ranged from 27.12% - 50.11% in the control group and from 26.91% - 47.92% in the herby group; total monounsaturated fatty acids (as a percentage of total unsaturated fatty acids) ranged from 28.27%- 48.11% in the control group and from 27.91% - 47.92% in the herby group; total polyunsaturated fatty acids (as a percentage of total unsaturated fatty acids) ranged from 2.73% -3.32% in the control group and from 3.25% - 3.66% in the herby group. Vitamin contents (µg/g) were determined as follows: vitamin K1 ranged from 1.22 - 3.64 in the control group and from 0.80 - 2.97 in the herby group; vitamin K2 ranged from 27.73- 39.62 in the control group and from 21.71 - 27.46 in the herby group; vitamin D2 ranged from 1.20 - 1.80 in the control group and from 0.69 - 1.53 in the herby group; vitamin D3 ranged from 0.62 -1.73 in the control group and from 0.53 - 1.13 in the herby group; stigmatocopherol ranged from 9.20 - 18.99 in the control group and from 6.31 -17.93 in the herby group; α-tocopherol ranged from 1.63 - 5.35 in the control group and from 1.33- 3.24 in the herby group; retinol ranged from 0.71 - 0.82 in the control group and from 0.77 - 0.98 in the herby group; cholesterol ranged from 352.69 - 500.58 in the control group and from 245.97 - 453.73 in the herby group. In color analysis, L* values (lightness) ranged from 7.64 -7.79 in the control group and from 7.67- 7.77 in the herby group; a* values (redness) ranged from 0.93 - 1.31 in control cheese and from 0.76 - 1.22 in herby cheese; b* values (yellowness) ranged from 1.73 -2.33 in the control group and from 1.81 - 2.09 in herby cheese. Sensory analysis results showed that section and appearance scores ranged from 85.71 - 88.00 in control cheese and from 78.00 - 84.00 in the herby group; texture scores ranged from 88.00 - 90.00 in the control group and from 80.00 - 90.00 in the herby group; odor scores ranged from 80.00 -90.00 in the control group and from 76.00 - 83.00 in the herby group; taste scores ranged from 80.00 - 90.00 in the control group and from 78.00 -82.85 in the herby group. In conclusion, it can be emphasized that it is possible to produce a functional Şavak herby tulum cheese containing tarhana herb, with sensory properties that can be preserved for 120 days under refrigeration, differing from traditional tulum cheese. Keywords: Tarhana herb, Echinophora tenuifolia, Şavak herby tulum cheese