Determination of Some Microbiological and Chemical Properties of Traditionally Produced Herbed Cheese in Siirt Province

ABSTRACTThis study investigated the effects of different concentrations of sirmo (Allium sp.) herb on the microbiological and physicochemical properties of traditional Siirt herbed cheese during ripening. Cheeses were produced from sheep milk with four sirmo concentrations: 0% (control), 1%, 2%, and 3% (w/w), and samples were analyzed on days 0, 30, 60, and 90 of ripening. Physicochemical analyses included pH, dry matter, ash in dry matter, salt in dry matter, fat in dry matter, protein content, and titratable acidity, while microbiological analyses comprised total aerobic mesophilic bacteria, total aerobic psychrophilic bacteria, Lactobacillus spp., coliform bacteria, and yeast–mold counts. The results showed that increasing sirmo concentration led to significant decreases in pH, fat in dry matter, and protein content, with the most pronounced effects observed in cheeses containing 3% sirmo (P < .05). In contrast, ash in dry matter, salt in dry matter, and titratable acidity values increased significantly during ripening (P < .01). Dry matter content increased throughout ripening in all groups but remained lower in sirmo-added cheeses compared with the control. Microbiological analyses revealed that sirmo addition significantly reduced total aerobic psychrophilic and coliform bacteria counts, with the greatest reductions observed in the 2% and 3% sirmo groups (P < .05). Conversely, Lactobacillus spp. counts were significantly higher in sirmo-containing cheeses throughout ripening (P < .01). Yeast and mold counts showed a decreasing trend during ripening, particularly at higher sirmo concentrations. In conclusion, it has been determined that the addition of sirmo, particularly at levels of 2% and 3%, improves the microbiological quality of traditional Siirt herb cheese and causes concentration-dependent changes in its physicochemical properties, indicating the potential use of sirmo as a natural additive in cheese production.