The vacuum-packed Turkish Kashar cheese ripening was evaluated in the medium and internal zones of cheese throughout a 90 day storage period. The parameters analyzed were; lipolysis level, water soluble nitrogen (WSN), total nitrogen, ripening index (RI), trichloroacetic acid-soluble nitrogen (TCA-SN), moisture, salt and salt in moisture, fat values and sensorial properties. The moisture values, acidity, salt and salt in moisture was less internal section.
The lipolysis level, RI, TCA-SN ratios of internal section of cheese was less than medium section. Lipolysis level, RI, TCA-SN values, salt content and salt in moisture of the cheese samples increased continuously until end of the ripening but total nitrogen and fat content shown no signifi cant changes with ripening, as moisture values decreased slightly. The ripening period was the main factor affecting sensory properties of cheese in medium and internal zones.
