EFFECTS OF SALTING METHOD AND STORAGE TIME ON COMPOSITION AND QUALITYOF FETA CHEESE

Feta cheese was manufactured by using five different salting methods ( dry salting for one day followed by addition of 6% NaCl brine, dry sal ting for 1, 2 or 3 days followed by addition of 7% NaCl brine and dry salting for 3 days followed by addition of 8% NaCl brine). The effects of salting method and storage time on the composition, physicochemica l, organoleptic and rheological properties of feta cheese were studied . It was found that moisture was not affected by salting method or sto rage time. The salting method but not the storage time had a significa nt effect on salt content. As the salt content of cheeses increased or the storage time was prolonged the moisture decreased. pH and cheese yield were not influenced by salting method but did decrease with stor age time. Protein content was not affected by salting method or storag e time, whereas fat content was affected by both factors. Proteolysis, lipolysis, organoleptic and rheological properties of cheeses were no t influenced by the salting methods applied. On the other hand, storag e time had a significant effect on proteolysis, lipolysis, cheese appe arance, fracturability and percentage compression at the yield point. Dry salting of cheese for one day and preservation in 7% NaCl brine wa s considered as the most appropriate salting method for practical appl ication.