Characteristics of traditional Sombor cheese: Chemical composition and sensory evaluation

Abstract

Sombor cheese is a soft cheese traditionally produced from raw sheep milk in the northern part of Serbia. The traditional cheese-making technique utilized has almost remained unchanged over the years in line with local practice. Nowadays, traditional cheese-making of Sombor cheese still remains at few local farms near Sombor and is being sold at the local market in the form of cylindrical basket so called "scheit" or in the wood module called "Kačica". The physicochemical characteristics of Sombor cheese (two distinctive forms - "kačica" and "scheit") as represented by pH, fat in dry matter (FDM) moisture in nonfat substance (MNFS) were determined. The mean value of pH FDM and MNFS (Sombor cheese in the form of "kačica") were 5,14±0,10 53,58±5,61% and 72,97+3,45%, respectively. The average value of pH, FDM and MNFS (Sombor cheese in the form of "scheit") were 5,34+0,10, 44,40±3,34% and 73,18 ±1,95%, respectively. The sensory evaluation of traditionally made Sombor cheese showed its variation in taste and consistency, as well as unstable flavor of cheese.

Danas se tradicionalni somborski sir proizvodi na nekoliko preostalih salaša u okolini Sombora i iznosi na pijace u kačici ili u obliku spljoštenog cilindra sa uobičajenim nazivom "šajt". Somborski sir proizveden u različitim domaćinstvima značajno se razlikuje u teksturi i ukusu. Odabrana dva domaćinstva već niz godina proizvode ovaj sir i prepoznatljivi su na somborskoj pijaci. Jedno domaćinstvo pravi tipičan somborski sir u kačicama a drugo domaćinstvo proizvodi somborski sir u obliku spljoštenog cilindra. Hemijski sastav tradicionalnog somborskog sira iz kačice je karakterističan za grupu mekih punomasnih sireva i sadrži: vodu u ostatku bez masti u proseku 72,97+3,45%, mast u suvoj materiji 53,58±5,61%, dok je pH u proseku 5,14±0,10. Hemijski sastav tradicionalnog somborskog sira u obliku spljoštenog cilindra je: voda u ostatku bez masti 73,18 ±1,95, mast u suvoj materiji 44,40±3,34, a pH 5,34+0,10. Senzornom ocenom tradicionalnog somborskog sira utvrđene su razlike u ukusu, konzistenciji, mirisu i preseku sira.