The use of dried cheese in food production and food preparation sectors is becoming increasingly widespread. Dried cheese is preferred because of their longer shelf life at room temperatures, smaller packaging sizes, practical use, and their ease of homogenization in food products. Various technologies are currently being used for the drying of cheese and efforts are still being made to develop new methods. Freeze drying is a highly preferred technique for the production of dried cheese due to high quality of the final product. Instant removal of water and low process temperatures ensure an effective prevention of chemical and microbial deterioration. In this study, White, Kashar and Tulum cheeses were dried by freeze-drying method. Physicochemical analyses were carried out on the first day in order to determine the initial quality of cheese samples. The moisture and salt content were highest in White cheese, titratable acidity and fat content were highest in Tulum Cheese. Freze dried cheese samples were stored in room conditions for 6 months and changes in microbial populations such as mesophilic aerobic bacteria, yeast and moulds, lactic acid bacteria, Staphylococci spp. and coliform group bacteria were determined. The results showed that Tulum Cheese contained highest microbial counts in general. The number of bacteria was 7.71±0.10 log cfu/g in Tulum Cheese, 5.70±0.07 log cfu/g in White cheese. Total counts of yeasts and molds were 7.37±0.06 log cfu/g for Tulum cheese and 4.92±0.07 log cfu/g for Kashar Cheese. Statistical analysis was performedby using Minitab Statistical Package Program to evaluate the results of microbiological analysis on dried cheese samples.

Phthalate esters (PAEs) are synthetic compounds, commonly used as plasticizers and softeners in plastic material production, and they are recognized as endocrine-disrupting chemicals. This study was focused on monitoring the extent of PAEs migration in vacuum-packaged Kashar cheeses and plastic materials used in their packaging. A total of fifteen cheese samples were tested for PAEs, including benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), diisononyl phthalate (DiNP), di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), and diisodecyl phthalate (DiDP). The quantification (LOQ) and detection (LOD) limits varied between 0.197 to 0.619 µg/mL and 0.059 to 0.185 µg/mL for all analytes, respectively. All phthalate ester concentrations in both of the cheese samples and their packaging materials were below the detectable level LOQ of the analytical method. FTIR spectra also confirmed that the packaging materials which consisted of polypropylene and polyethylene.