Sensory characteristics of Ezine cheese

Ezine cheese is a full-fat, white pickled cheese ripened in tinplate containers. A mixture of milks from goat, sheep and cow is used to make Ezine cheese. It has its own characteristic taste and aroma that differ from other white cheeses. In this study, the chemical composition and sensory attributes of Ezine cheese were characterized. A descriptive sensory evaluation technique was used to determine flavor and texture characteristics. Representative Ezine cheeses (22) were provided by local producers. A highly trained (n = 9) panel generated the descriptive terms and identified the references. Fourteen flavors and 10 texture terms were developed to describe Ezine cheese flavor and texture. Some characteristic flavor and taste descriptors for Ezine cheese were free fatty acids, cooked, creamy, whey-like, goaty, salty and sour. Cheese texture was evaluated using hand, mouth and residual techniques. Texture analysis indicated that Ezine cheese had soft and semi-hard texture properties. In general, most of the Ezine cheeses showed similarities in terms of hand firmness, mouth firmness, fracturability and number of particles attributes.