Abstract:

This study was carried out in order to determine the microbiological quality and chemical characteristics of peanut cheese offered for sale in vacuum packaging and open (without packaging) in the province of Elazığ. For this purpose, a total of fifty copies (25 copies sold openly and 25 copies empty-packed,) were analyzed in the microbiological (common mesophilic aerobic bacteria, Lactobacillus-Leuconostoc-Pediococcus (LLP), streptococcus, koliform, E. coli, lipolithic bacteria, proteolithic bacteria, maya-collum numbers) and chemical properties (pH, acidity, water activity (aw), dry substance, salt, ash, oil). In vacuum-packed samples, the acidity value (1.84±0.22 and 0.46±0.11 %g lactic acid) and the salt amount (0.76±0.05 and 0.46±0.02 %) were found significantly higher than openly sold samples (p<0.05). LLP (7.13 ± 0. 18 and 5.76 ± 0.32 log10 kob/g), proteolithic microorganisms (6.23 ± 0.15 and 4.22 ± 0.42 log10 kob/g), mayas and cub levels (4.14 ± 0.31 and 1.86 ± 0.23 log10 kob/g), found significantly high in the vacuum-packed group compared to the unpacked group (P<0.05). On the other hand, the number of E. coli was lower in vacuum-packed lor cheese samples, compared to unpacked samples (2.52±0.21 and 3.41±0.31 log10 kob/g). As a result, vacuum-packed or open-selling cheese may pose a potential risk for public health due to its abundance of microorganisms. Therefore, although vacuum packaging protects the product against external contaminations, pre-packing hygiene conditions should be best provided.

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