Ripening changes of Kulek cheese in wooden and plastic containers

The effect of packaging containers (wooden or plastic) on biochemical, micr obiological, and sensory properties of Kulek cheese during ripening (4-7 de greesC and 85-90% relative humidity) was examined. Kulek cheese packed in w ooden container had higher soluble nitrogen, ripening index, yeast and moul d, proteolytic, and psychrotrophic counts, alpha (s)- and beta -casein were degraded throughout ripening. Degradation of alpha (s)- and beta -casein a t the end of ripening period was 19.54% and 41.72% in wooden samples, 21.50 % and 28.66% in plastic samples, respectively. gamma -caseins gradually inc reased during ripening. Packaging material did not significantly affect lip olysis. Cheese samples in wooden container had higher sensory scores. (C) 2 001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.