The effects of carbon dioxide addition to cheese milk on the microbiological properties of Turkish White brined cheese

This study invest0igated the effect of CO ₂ added to achieve three pH levels: pH 6.1, pH 6.2 and pH 6.3 for treatments X, Y, Z, respectively, on some microbiological properties of Turkish White (TW) brined cheese. For each pH, four batches of cheese were produced from: raw milk with no added carbon dioxide (UR), raw milk with carbon dioxide (TR), pasteurised milk with no carbon dioxide addition (UP) and pasteurised milk with carbon dioxide addition (TP). The microbiological analysis of TW brined cheeses was carried out for 90days of maturation period. Total aerobic mesophilic bacteria, mesophilic lactic acid bacteria, yeasts and moulds and coliform group were determined in control and CO ₂ treatment groups. Mesophilic bacteria count was determined as 5.14, 5.29, 5.67logcfu/g for pH 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3, respectively, in CO ₂-treated raw milk cheeses. Yeasts and moulds reduction increased significantly by applying CO ₂ (P<0.01). For TW cheese samples, the most significant microbial inactivation was detected at sample groups of pH 6.1.