Özet:
The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of cheese scalding temperature, scalding time, and ripening time on the chemical, textural and microstructural properties of ovine milk Urfa cheese. Dry salted fresh cheeses were scalded in whey at 70 °C, 80 °C, and 90 °C for 5 and 10 minutes and ripened for 90 days, respectively. Scalding temperature significantly affected fat in dry matter and salt in dry matter (P<0.05), total solids and nitrogen, hardness, cohesiveness, gumminess, and chewiness (P<0.001). Scalding time significantly affected total nitrogen and gumminess (P<0.05), total solids, and hardness (P<0.001). Ripening time significantly affected chemical, textural and color properties of ovine milk Urfa cheese (P<0.001), except fat in dry matter (P<0.05). The color properties of Urfa cheese were not significantly affected by the scalding temperature and time (P>0.05). Besides, scalding treatments have improved the microstructure of ovine milk Urfa cheeses. Urfa cheese exhibited a more compact, coarser, and uniform structure with increasing scalding temperature and time. As a result, scalding treatments and ripening on the chemical, textural and microstructural characteristics of Urfa cheeses were substantially effective. © Ankara University, Faculty of Agriculture© 2021 by the authors. Licensee Ankara University, Faculty of Agriculture, Ankara, Turkey.