Physicochemical and Microbiological Evaluation of Locally Produced White Soft Cheese in Khabat District, Erbil Governorate.

Mohammed, Rozhgar Kamal

doi:10.58928/ku25.16209

	Physicochemical and Microbiological Evaluation of Locally Produced White Soft Cheese in Khabat District, Erbil Governorate.
Kirkuk University Journal for Agricultural Sciences (KUJAS)
Volume 16, Issue 2, June 2025, Pages 64-71 PDF (1.36 M)
Document Type: Research Paper
DOI: 10.58928/ku25.16209
Author
Rozhgar Kamal Mohammed^*
College of Agriculture Engineering Sciences :: Department of Food technology, Salahaddin University-Erbil
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the physicochemical and microbiological quality of Kurdish white soft cheeses locally produced in different places at Khabat District in Erbil governorate. A total of 20 samples of white soft cheeses were collected randomly from Khabat District markets. Physiochemically and microbiologically analyzed. Physicochemical analysis of the white soft cheese samples was determined 6.01 for pH, 1.23 % total acidity, 53.82 % moisture content, 22.26 % protein content, 2.34 % ash, 15.69 % fat, 2.45 % salt (NaCl), 30.49 % solid non-fat, 46.18 % total solids on average, respectively. Microbiological examination data presented that the total aerobic count of white soft cheese samples ranged between 1.6 × 104 and 3.5 × 106 cfu/g, coliform bacteria count were detected in 18 examined samples out of 20 samples in white soft cheese sample ranged between 3.8 × 102 and 5.2 × 104 cfu/g, Escherichia coli were present in 17 examined cheese samples ranged between 4 × 102 and 1.5 × 106 cfu/g, Staphylococcus aureus at the interval 4.1 × 103 and 2.6 × 105 cfu/g, while in all soft cheese samples the Salmonella spp. was not detected. Also yeasts and molds present in the all soft cheese samples at the interval 2.4 × 102 and 1.6× 104 cfu/g. White soft cheese produced in Khabat District are not compatible with the Iraqi Standard and Specification. In conclusions the microbiological results revealed that the tested samples were contaminated with different kinds of microbial groups in white soft cheese was expected as it was produced from raw milk.
Keywords
Kurdish white soft cheese; Physicochemical composition; Microbiological; Quality; Khabat District

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