Manufacturing Process And Physicochemical Analysis Of Kariki: A Traditional Cheese From The Island Of Tinos, Greece

Abstract

The present work aimed to identify, for the first time, the traditional manufacturing process and the physicochemical properties of the Kariki cheese originated from the Island of Tinos, Greece. Various physicochemical parameters (moisture, protein, fat and NaCl content, pH, acidity, fatty acid profile, and pigments) were determined on cheese samples (matured for three months in a dried calabash). The samples were obtained from the only dairy company in Tinos Island that produces this type of cheese using traditional methods. The results showed that Kariki is a yellow cheese, hard on the outside but soft on the inside, with low moisture and acidity content, and high proportion of fat comparable to similar types of cheese products. These characteristics are probably derived from the maturation process in the calabash. Kariki also showed much higher content in saturated fatty acids and lower content in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids compared to other cheeses with similar maturing time. © All Rights Reserved