Characteristics of traditional Croatian ewe's cheese from the island of Krk

Abstract

Krk cheese is a hard, full‐fat cheese made from raw sheep's milk, characterized by a delicate, full and strong flavour. The aim of this study was to determine farm influence on the chemical composition of sheep's milk for Krk cheese production, and the chemical characteristics of Krk cheese during ripening. Gross composition of the milk used complies with the average sheep's milk composition from the Croatian Adriatic region. During ripening, fat, protein, salt content and lactic acid concentration increased (P < 0.01), as well as the water‐soluble nitrogen fraction and the 12%‐trichloroacetic‐acid‐soluble nitrogen fraction (P < 0.05). Degradation of β‐casein could be an indicator of the ripening quality of Krk cheese.

Proteolysis of Livanjski cheese during ripening

“…These proteolytic changes caused a significant increase (P < 0.05) of Index betta ( Figure 5). Similar results were obtained by other authors who observed that plasmin is a key enzyme in the ripening of some cheeses produced from raw ewe's milk such as Krk or Istrian cheese (Mikulec et al, 2008;Magdić et al, 2013) or from raw cow's milk such as Tounj cheese (Kalit et al, 2005). α s1 -casein could be an indicator of the maturity of Livanjski cheese while the ratio β-casein : α s1 -casein at the end of ripening was 1.46.…”

Free amino acid profile during ripening of ewe's milk cheese from the Croatian island Krk

“…; Mikulec et al . ). It is produced from ewe's milk collected at the local farms which breed Croatian autochthonous sheep – pramenka (Zdanovski ).…”

“…; Mikulec et al . ). Krk cheese is made wholely of a raw ewe's milk, using starter culture consisting of Lactococcus lactis subsp.…”

“…The first reports on cheese manufacturing on the island Krk were dated at the beginning of the 20th century (Zdanovski 1936). Decades later, the nutritional values of Krk cheese were again recognised by the Croatian scientists (Prpi c et al 2003;Mikulec et al 2008). It is produced from ewe's milk collected at the local farms which breed Croatian autochthonous sheeppramenka (Zdanovski 1936).…”

“…It is produced from ewe's milk collected at the local farms which breed Croatian autochthonous sheeppramenka (Zdanovski 1936). The ewe 's milk, used in the manufacture of Krk cheese, possesses characteristics typical for extensive farming management based on sheep grazing during all seasons on natural grazing land rich in aromatic Mediterranean plants that confer typical organoleptic features to the milk (Grappin and Beuvier 1997;Buchin et al 1999;Mikulec et al 2008). Krk cheese is made wholely of a raw ewe's milk, using starter culture consisting of Lactococcus lactis subsp.…”