Tulum Cheese Research Articles

Standardisation of traditional rennet produced from sheep abomasum

Traditional rennet (TR) from small ruminants is required to produce many cheeses, but can be a source of technological and safety problems due to low milk-clotting activity (MCA) and microbiological quality. TR samples were obtained from producers of Erzincan tulum cheese in the Gölyurt plateaus (Turkey). Total aerobic mesophilic bacteria, yeast and moulds, total coliforms, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and anaerobic spore-forming bacteria counts in the TRs were in the ranges of <1 to 8.07 log cfu mL−1, <2 to 7.33 log cfu mL−1, <1 to 4.32 log cfu mL−1, <1 to 3.19 log cfu mL−1, <1 to 3.46 log cfu mL−1, and <1 log cfu mL−1, respectively. In standardising the TRs, microfiltration decreased the number of microorganisms (<1–2 log cfu mL−1); evaporation increased the MCA by 5 times and reached 1:806–1:5336 MCU mL−1. As a result, increased microbiological safety and MCA of standardised rennet and improved sensory properties of cheese were obtained by a practical and reproducible process.

Determination of Aflatoxin M1 levels in Turkish cheeses provided from different regions of Turkey

Hygienic quality is a very important problem in milk and dairy products. Aflatoxins are produced by moulds, and it is known that the Aflatoxin M1 type, which can be found in milk and dairy products, is a potential risk for public health. In this study, the presence of Aflatoxin M1 in white and Tulum cheese samples collected from three different provinces of Turkey (Burdur, Bursa, and Elazig) was investigated with the ELISA method. 42 white and 42 Tulum cheese samples (total 84) were analyzed, and the samples were evaluated in terms of their compliance with the limits of the Turkish Food Codex. According to the results; 34 (40.47 %) of 84 cheese samples were contaminated with Aflatoxin M1, ranging from 250 to 559 ng/kg. Fifty (59.52 %) cheese samples were found below the detection limit, meaning they are negative in terms of Aflatoxin M1 and do not pose a risk. On the other hand, 2 samples (2.38 %) were over the tolerance limit of the Turkish Food Codex. Also, the incidence of Aflatoxin M1 in white cheeses was 35.71 % and 45.23 % in Tulum cheeses. Although it is not much above the legal limit, Aflatoxin M1 contamination in cheese may reduce the food quality and adversely affect human health. Therefore, it should be treated more carefully in the production of milk and dairy products. In addition, quality feeds should be used in the feeding of dairy animals.

Comparative genomics of Loigolactobacillus coryniformis with an emphasis on L. coryniformis strain FOL-19 isolated from cheese

Loigolactobacillus coryniformis is a member of lactic acid bacteria isolated from various ecological niches. We isolated a novel L. coryniformis strain FOL-19 from artisanal Tulum cheese and performed the whole-genome sequencing for FOL-19. Then, genomic characterization of FOL-19 against ten available whole genome sequences of the same species isolated from kimchi, silage, fermented meat, air of cowshed, dairy, and pheasant chyme was performed to uncover the genetic diversity and biotechnological potential of overall species. The average genome size of 2.93 ± 0.1 Mb, GC content of 42.96% ± 0.002, number of CDS of 2905 ± 165, number of tRNA of 56 ± 10, and number of CRISPR elements of 6.55 ± 1.83 was found. Both Type I and II Cas clusters were observed in L. coryniformis. No bacteriocin biosynthesis gene clusters were found. All strains harbored at least one plasmid except KCTC 3167. All strains were predicted to carry multiple IS elements. The most common origin of the IS elements was belong to Lactiplantibacillus plantarum. Comparative genomic analysis of L. coryniformis revealed hypervariability at the strain level and the presence of CRISPR/Cas suggests that L. coryniformis holds a promising potential for being a reservoir for new CRISPR-based tools. All L. coryniformis strains except PH-1 were predicted to harbor pdu and cbi-cob-hem gene clusters encoding industrially relevant traits of reuterin and cobalamin biosynthesis, respectively. These findings put a step forward for the genomic characterization of L. coryniformis strains for biotechnological applications via genome-guided strain selection to identify industrially relevant traits.

Characterization of bioactive peptides derived from goatskin Tulum cheese of the Ereğli region at different stages of ripening

The study aimed to identify peptide profiles and observe peptide dynamics of goat skin Tulum cheese throughout 180 days of ripening. A total of 222 peptides were obtained derived from β-,αs1-, and αs2-casein by LC-MS/MS. According to the SDS-PAGE analysis results, the amount of αs- and β-CNs decreased depending on the increase in ripening time. Therewith, the number of bioactive peptides increased during ripening. It was observed that especially aminopeptidase and carboxypeptidase activities were effective in the formation of peptides during the ripening of Tulum cheese. Peptides released by proteolysis of caseins showed 15 different bioactivities including antibacterial, antifungal, anticarcinogenic, immunomodulator, anti-obesity, GLP-1 secretion enhancer, cathepsin B inhibitor, ACE inhibitor, antidiabetic, cholesterol regulator, anti-amnesic, antioxidant, brain function enhancer, anti-inflammatory, and skin regenerative properties. It was observed that the number of bioactive peptides increased during ripening so especially ripening for a long time of Tulum cheeses can have positive effects on human health and create significant opportunities as a functional food.

Infrared spectroscopy-based rapid determination of adulteration in commercial sheep's milk cheese via n-hexane and ethanolic extraction

This study aimed to authenticate a commercial cheese using FT-IR spectroscopy combined with chemometrics via ethanol and n-hexane extraction. Erzincan Tulum cheese (ETC) is one of the most produced and consumed cheeses in Türkiye. With an increase in production and consumption, adulteration has become a concern. Authentic ETC (n = 24) and non-authentic cheese samples (n = 22) were purchased from local markets. Ethanol and n-hexane extracts of the ETC were used for FT-IR analysis. Aliquots of the extracts were placed on a zinc selenide crystal, dried, and scanned in the mid-infrared region (4000–650 cm−1). Partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), soft independent modelling of class analogy (SIMCA), and conditional entropy (CE) were used as chemometric tools. PLS-DA and SIMCA provided 99% accuracy, followed by CE as low as 93.5%. Despite some disadvantages, overall, FT-IR spectroscopy with chemometrics is simple, rapid, and an inexpensive tool to detect cheese adulteration.

TULUM PEYNİRİ ÜRETİMİNDE KULLANILAN KEÇİ DERİLERİNİN KARAKTERİSTİKLERİ VE OLGUNLAŞTIRMA ORTAMLARINDAKİ DEĞİŞİMLER

The present study aimed to determine the physical, chemical, and textural properties of goatskin used in the production of Tulum cheese and the traditional and industrial ripening conditions. Natural ripening conditions (caves) and some parameters (temperature, humidity, oxygen, and CO2 values) of the cold storage of the dairy plants were examined between March and October. It was determined that the temperature and moisture content of the natural cave where cheese ripening was carried out was different from that of the dairy factory storage conditions. The oxygen and carbon dioxide ratios were similar in both ripening conditions. The effects of skin thickness, fat, and skin structure, especially tensile strength, elongation break, tear strength, air, water vapor, and oxygen permeability properties were statistically significant. The goatskins' tensile strength, elongation at break and tear strength values were 9.16-36.48 daN, 22.57-81.57 N, and 35.4-150.28 N/mm, respectively. When used as a casing material for the ripening of Tulum cheese, the effect of the skin's properties such as Oxygen, water vapor, and air permeability on the product was found to be significant. The present study determined that goatskin's outward air permeability was 6.6-10.95 times higher than the inward air permeability.

The effect of inulin addition on probiotic bacteria viability and volatile components in low fat probiotic Tulum cheese

In this study the effects of probiotic bacteria and inulin addition on microbiological qualities, volatile aroma components and sensory properties during ripening of low-fat Tulum cheeses were examined. Adding inulin to low-fat Tulum cheeses improved the volatile aroma components, microbiological qualities, and sensory properties. The addition of inulin enhanced the growth and viability of probiotic bacteria. The total quantities of alcohol, aldehyde, carboxylic acid, hydrocarbon, and terpene increased as inulin increased due to maturation. During storage, inulin had a beneficial effect on numerous sensory qualities such as the appearance, texture, taste, and odour of the samples. The addition of 1% inulin had a more favourable effect on probiotic viability.

A multi-functional survey of the properties of Lacticaseibacillus paracasei subsp. tolerans NOC-122, Levilactobacillus parabrevis NOC-111 and Latilactobacillus curvatus NOC-110.

This study aimed to reveal the physicochemical and organoleptic effects of three functional lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolates in a milk medium: Lacticaseibacillus paracasei subsp. tolerans NOC-122, Levilactobacillus parabrevis NOC-111 and Latilactobacillus curvatus NOC-110. A total of 200 indigenous LAB strains isolated from artisanal tulum cheeses were screened for potential proteolytic and lipolytic activity, citrate-lyase-synthesizing and exopolysaccharide-producing ability. Furthermore, a total of six fermented products were produced using these strains as a single culture or as a co-culture. The physicochemical and microbiological properties, angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitor activity, and the amino acid and volatile aroma compound profiles were determined. According to the results, NOC-110 and NOC-122 were effective in increasing ACE-inhibitory activity. On the other hand, NOC-122 was responsible for a fresh cheesy, slightly oily flavour when used as a single culture. NOC-111 gave a fresh, fruity and slightly herbal flavour; NOC-110 gave a flavour similar to that of NOC-122 when they were used as a single culture. Also, co-cultures of the strains were investigated. The results of the study provide a guide to the usability of these isolates as single or co-cultures in the production of dairy-based food. These findings can be of value for many future studies and innovative food products.

Proteolysis and lipolysis in Tulum cheeses ripened in plastic barrels and goat skin bags made using Penicillium roqueforti 41 strain

In this research, Tulum cheeses were manufactured from raw (R, RM, RT, and RMT samples) and pasteurized Akkaraman sheep milk cheeses (P and PM samples). Tulum cheeses were manufactured with Penicillium roqueforti 41 strain (RM, PM, RMT samples) and without mold strains (R, P, and RT samples). The cheeses were ripened in plastic barrels (R, RM, P, and PM samples) or goat skin bags (called tulum) (RT and RMT samples) for 120 days at + 4 °C. In the last two stages of the ripening period (60 d =90th and 90 d=120th), samples in plastic barrels and tulums were pierced using a needle to allow air entrance. Namely, in the last two stages of the ripening period, all cheese samples were drilled. The cheese was named 60 d = 90th day, which means that it was analyzed on the 90th day after the drilling (piercing) process on the 60th day, and 90 d = 120th day, which means that it was analyzed on the 120th day after the drilling process on the 90th day. The physical, chemical composition, lipolysis, and proteolysis levels of the RT and RMT samples were found to be higher than those of the R, RM, P, and PM samples. The inoculated mold strain (P. roqueforti 41) enhanced the proteolysis and lipolysis levels of the RM, PM, and RMT samples, especially after the piercing operation. Additionally, the inoculated P. roqueforti 41 strain increased the hydrolysis of hydrophobic peptides of RM, PM, and RMT samples depending on mold growth on the 60 d = 90th and 90 d = 120th days of ripening, in which a piercing operation was applied.

Investigation of milk origin in sheep and goat cheese with Real-Time PCR

Milk and dairy products are very important in life, because they contain important nutrients for human health. Recently, some producers have used cow’s milk instead of goat and sheep’s milk for producing goat and sheep cheese and sell these cheeses as sheep and goat cheese. In this study, it was aimed to determine the milk type of white cheese and tulum cheese, which are sold under the names of sheep cheese and goat cheese in the markets and supermarkets of Afyonkarahisar and Antalya. In this study, the Real-Time PCR analysis method was utilised to detect fraud in products. For the analysis, 60 goat cheese samples and 60 sheep cheese samples in total were collected from the aforementioned provinces. As a result of the analysis, among all goat cheese samples which were obtained from both provinces, only 20% were produced from goat milk, 38.33% were produced from goat-cow’s milk mixtures, and 41.67% were produced using cow’s milk only. In the sheep cheese samples from both provinces, only 18.33% were produced from sheep’s milk, 50.00% were produced from sheep’s-cow’s milk mixtures, and 31.67% were produced from cow’s milk only. Consequently, regular inspections and controls are required to detect counterfeit cheeses and we recommend that consumers be made aware of these cheats.

Seasonal effect on L. monocytogenes prevalence in meat and dairy products assessed by VIDAS LMO2 and ISO 11290:1 methods

In the present work, the seasonal distribution of L. monocytogenes in frequently consumed foods in the Aksaray region, an important transition point, was investigated by cultural and automated methods (ISO 11290 and VIDAS LMO2). For this purpose, a total of 800 food samples (100 samples of each white, kashar, cream, and Tulum cheeses, and beef, lamb, chicken, and turkey meats) were analysed. Listeria spp. were detected in 64 (8%) samples, and 177 suspected Listeria colonies were isolated. Of the 177 suspected colonies, 71 were identified as L. monocytogenes by the ISO 11290 and VIDAS LMO2 methods. The pathogen was detected from samples purchased during winter, spring, summer, and autumn at the rates of 3.7, 3, 26, and 3.6%, respectively; the highest isolation rate was found in summer, while the lowest isolation rate found in spring. Although the contamination of L. monocytogenes was found at the highest rate in summer, it has been revealed that there was a risk of listeriosis, which was not low, throughout the entire year. We believe that compliance with standards such as HACCP, ISO 22000, or GMP will be crucial in reducing the risk of listeriosis.

Identification of Streptococcus infantarius subsp. infantarius as the species primarily responsible for acid production in Izmir Brined Tulum Cheese from the Aegean Region of Türkiye

Izmir Brined Tulum (IBT) Cheese is a traditional semi hard cheese produced in the Aegean region of Türkiye. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolates from IBT cheese samples taken during manufacture and from mature IBT cheeses were investigated for their acid producing capability with the aim of detecting LAB strains responsible for acid production in IBT cheese. Forty two out of 216 isolates decreased the pH of milk to 5.0 or below in 18 h at 37 °C or 42 °C. 16S rRNA Sanger sequencing revealed the presence of LAB species that had not been detected in IBT cheese previously and, indeed, were identified for the first time as the primary acid producers. The majority of these acid producing isolates were identified as putative Streptococcus lutetiensis/Streptococcus infantarius subsp. infantarius (Sii). Further analysis by sequencing the groES/groEL genes of these isolates established that they were Sii. The remaining isolates from cheese samples taken during manufacture were identified as Streptococcus macedonicus, S. thermophilus, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. sunkii and L. delbrueckii subsp. indicus and, from mature cheeses, as Enterococcus faecalis and L. delbrueckii subsp. sunkii. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) results revealed a large genetic diversity amongst the Sii isolates recovered from the IBT cheeses. It was also established that the Sii strains exhibited efficient and consistent acidification ability equivalent to S. thermophilus. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and comparative genome analysis of the representative Sii AYB210 strain provided further insights. More specifically, the genome of AYB210 differed from the previously sequenced African dairy isolate Sii CJ18 and the human isolate ATCC®BAA-102™. Modifications in the lactose operon, which may be an indicator of dairy adaptation, were identified and a high number of CRISPR spacers and putative bacteriocin, virulence factor and antibiotic resistance genes were also detected.

Determination of some characteristic properties in traditional Kargı Tulum cheese

Kargı Tulum cheese is produced and consumed in Çorum province of Turkey. The present study investigates some chemical, microbiological, and textural properties of Kargı Tulum cheese produced using the traditional method by a family-owned company in the Kargı district of Çorum. The mean values of Kargı Tulum cheese samples were as follows; dry matter content %61.71 ± 8.77, fat %30.28 ± 4.84, fat in dry matter %49.09 ± 5.15, protein content %20.17 ± 3.19, ash %4.67 ± 2.09, salt %4.76 ± 1.67, salt in dry matter %7.67 ± 2.43, titration acidity (as lactic acid) %1.41 ± 1.18 and pH is 4.64 ± 0.21, and in the textural analysis of cheese samples, the hardness value was 2750.88 ± 1719 g.

Modification of fast-slow differential agar medium for selective isolation of potential starter lactic acid bacteria from cheese

Starter Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) are responsible for converting lactose to lactic acid during cheese manufacturing and, as a result, play a critical role in defining the attributes of the final product. There is great interest in isolating novel starter LAB strains to provide alternatives to existing industry cultures or to help enhance the quality and safety of cheeses traditionally made without starter cultures addition [1].The Fast-Slow Differential Agar (FSDA) medium was developed in 1984 and still remains the standard to rapidly differentiate fast and slow milk-coagulating lactic streptococci and thus avoid screening a large number of isolates for acid production capacity [2]. However, we found that FSDA was unable to selectively isolate fast acid-producing strains from young, traditional, starter-free Izmir Brined Tulum cheeses, due to the presence of a diverse microbiome including Non-Starter LAB and spoilage Gram-negative microbiota [1, 3].Here, we describe a modified FSDA (mFSDA) with increased selectivity and recovery efficiency towards lactic streptococci, which was successfully used to rapidly isolate potential starters from Tulum cheeses [1] and could similarly outperform FSDA in raw milk cheeses and other varieties containing high levels of “background” microbiota. The main differences between FSDA and mFSDA media consist in the presence of nalidixic acid, ascorbic acid and yeast extract in mFSDA. These targeted additions provide mFSDA with a two-prong selectivity that (I) suppresses unwanted microbiota, and (II) increases the recovery efficiency of lactic streptocci adept to using milk nutrients. Specifically:•Nalidixic acid is an antibiotic that primarily inhibit Gram-negative bacteria [4].•Ascorbic acid and yeast extract stimulate the growth of lactic streptococci [5] and were added to complement skim milk in creating an environment favoring the growth of lactose-positive, casein peptides-utilizing LAB.•The pH indicator bromocresol purple enabled the chromogenic discrimination between LAB with different acid production capability.

Metagenomics and volatile profile of Turkish artisanal Tulum cheese microbiota

Turkish artisanal Tulum cheese is a traditional raw milk cheese and starter cultures are not used for ripening process. In this study, 16S rRNA amplicon-based sequencing approach was used for determining bacterial diversity in Tulum cheeses. The volatile organic compound (VOC) profile which contributes to sensory properties of the cheeses was determined via solid-phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS/SPME) and correlated with the microbiota. In Tulum cheese samples, Lactobacillaceae (30,71%) phylum widely varied but Streptococcaceae (59,86%) was dominant. It mainly belongs to the four dominant genera of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and includes Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, Streptococcus and Pediococcus. The bacterial diversity of TC5 sample was much higher than that of other samples. Moreover, several species of non-starter LAB were frequently detected. A total of 36 volatile compounds were identified including hydrocarbons (3), acids (13), alcohols (5), ketones (3), aldehydes (3), esters (8) and miscellaneous compound (1). Pentadecanoic acid, octadecanoic acid, tetradecanoic acid, octanoic acid, hexanoic acid were determined to be dominant in all cheese samples and to be related to microbial flora. Also, the sensory profiles of the samples were examined. The most popular TC6 did not contain 2-butanone and hexanal from the volatile organic compound (VOC) values, while in the most unpopular TC3, 2-butanone (7.73%) and hexanal (5.95%) were found to be the highest. The outcome of this study will contribute to literature on bacterial diversity and aromatic profile of Tulum cheese which should be investigated in order to improve quality and safety.

Comparison of γ-aminobutyric acid and free amino acid contents of some common varieties of Turkish cheeses

A total of thirty cheese samples belonging to three varieties (Beyaz, Kasar and Tulum) with different technological traits were analysed for gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and free amino acid (FAA) content. Microbiological and physicochemical status and soluble nitrogen fractions of cheese samples were examined to determine their effects on formation of GABA during ripening. The major FAA were His, Ile, Lys for Beyaz cheeses, Glu, His, Tyr, Ile, Phe, Trp for Kasar cheeses and His, Arg, Tyr, Ile, Leu, Trp for Tulum cheeses. Also, total free amino acid content was higher in Tulum cheeses. The GABA concentration ranged from 0.00 to 83.05 mg 100 g−1, 1.65–45.79 mg 100 g−1 and 0.20–21.06 mg 100 g−1 for Beyaz, Kasar and Tulum cheeses, respectively. Cheese microflora, soluble nitrogen fractions, amino acid concentrations such as Glu and Gln and ripening time/conditions had a significant effect on formation of GABA.

Comparison of culture-dependent and culture-independent techniques in the detection of lactic acid bacteria biodiversity and dynamics throughout the ripening process: The case of Turkish artisanal Tulum cheese produced in the Anamur region.

Our objective was to analyze the diversity of the microbiota over 180 d of ripening of eight batches of artisanal goatskin Tulum cheeses by culture-dependent and culture-independent (PCR-DGGE) methods. V3 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene was amplified with the PCR after direct DNA isolation from the cheese samples. Nine different species and five genera were determined by culturing, while 11 species were identified in the PCR-DGGE technique. This diversity revealed the uniqueness of artisanal cheese varieties. The dominant genera in all the cheese samples were composed of Enterococcus species. The culture-dependent method revealed five genera (Enterococcus,Bacillus,Lactococcus,Lactobacillus, Sphingomonas) while three genera (Enterococcus, Streptococcus, Lactococcus) were detected in the culture-independent method. It was concluded that combining the two methods is important for characterizing the whole microbiota of the Tulum cheese varieties produced in the Anamur region.

Probiotic Characteristics of Lactobacillus brevis KT38-3 Isolated from an Artisanal Tulum Cheese.

Probiotics are living microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, provide a health benefit to the host and are considered safe. Most probiotic strains that are beneficial to human health are included in the “Lactic acid bacteria” (LAB) group. The positive effects of probiotic bacteria on the host’s health are species-specific and even strain-specific. Therefore, evaluating the probiotic potential of both wild and novel strains is essential. In this study, the probiotic characteristics of Lactobacillus brevis KT38-3 were determined. The strain identification was achieved by 16S rRNA sequencing. API-ZYM test kits were used to determine the enzymatic capacity of the strain. L. brevis KT38-3 was able to survive in conditions with a broad pH range (pH 2–7), range of bile salts (0.3%–1%) and conditions that simulated gastric juice and intestinal juice. The percentage of autoaggregation (59.4%), coaggregation with E. coli O157:H7 (37.4%) and hydrophobicity were determined to be 51.1%, 47.4%, and 52.7%, respectively. L. brevis KT38-3 produced β-galactosidase enzymes and was able ferment lactose. In addition, this strain was capable of producing antimicrobial peptides against the bacteria tested, including methicillin and/or vancomycin-resistant bacteria. The cell-free supernatants of the strain had high antioxidant activities (DPPH: 54.9% and ABTS: 48.7%). Therefore, considering these many essential in vitro probiotic properties, L. brevis KT38-3 has the potential to be used as a probiotic supplement. Supporting these findings with in vivo experiments to evaluate the potential health benefits will be the subject of our future work.

Mycobiota of Konya mold-ripened (Kuflu) Tulum cheese and the diversity of Penicillium roqueforti isolates

Konya Kuflu Tulum cheese is a well-known variety of Turkish mold-ripened cheeses produced by cutting the mature Tulum cheese into pieces to allow the filamentous fungi to grow on its surface in the cool and humid atmosphere in cellars or caves. The aim of the present study was to determine the fungal flora of Kuflu cheese using 54 filamentous fungi and 8 yeasts that were isolated from 26 cheese samples. Internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequencing indicated that 53 of the mold isolates were Penicillium roqueforti and 1 was Cladosporium cladosporioides. The yeasts were identified as Pichia membranifaciens, Candida zeylanoides, Debaryomyces hansenii, and Geotrichum candidum. Morphological examination of the P. roqueforti isolates on various media revealed similar phenotypes among all but two isolates; however, (GTG)5 fingerprinting analysis indicated that the isolated P. roqueforti strains were highly similar in all but one case, which displayed a different pattern. To our knowledge, this study represents the first to conduct molecular methods for identification of fungi associated with Konya Kuflu Tulum cheese. In addition, the morphological and genetic diversities of the Turkey-originated P. roqueforti isolates are presented.

DETERMINATION OF SOME CHEMICAL, TEXTURAL AND MICROBIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF KARGI TULUM CHEESE

Kargı Tulum cheese is a type of cheese produced in the highlands in summer seasons from sheep, goat, cow and buffalo milk and their mixtures in certain proportions in the Kargı district of Çorum and put on the market in autumn. It is particularly consumed in Çorum, Kastamonu, Samsun and Ankara provinces. For the marketing of cheeses, tulums made of sheep and lamb skins are cleaned and cut into small pieces and sewn. Cheese curds, after the whey draining, are pressed into the prepared tulums by being compressed so that there is no airgap in them. Traditional production and sales methods are stil used in Kargı Tulum cheese, therefore standardized products cannot be obtained in every production. For this reason, the stages involved in the traditional cheese production and the packaging material used for ripening affect the chemical and textural properties, microbial load and therefore, quality of the product. There are few number of studies on Kargı Tulum cheese and no extensive study examined the texture and rheological characteristics of it. Cheese texture is influenced by many factors, such as composition, microbiological load, ripening conditions and proteolysis; therefore texture properties should be evaluated together with the chemical and hygenic parameters. In this study, some chemical (pH, titrationacidity, total solids, fat), textural (TPA) and microbiological characteristics (total mesophilic count, mold and yeast counts, coliform) of tulum cheese samples produced according to the tradional method with three replicates were determined. Moisture content of the Kargı Tulum cheese samples were 43.45%, fat content was found % 25.5, pH was 4.55, acidity (lacticacid %) was 2.55. According to TS 3001 Tulum Cheese Standard our Kargı Tulum cheese samples were classified as full fat cheese and our chemical composition results were in accordance with the standard. We found statistically significant differences between cheese samples for all texture parameters measured (firmness, adhessiveness, springiness, gumminess, resilience) except for chewiness. Average total mesophilic aerobic bacteria countwas 6.40 log cfu.g-1 mean mold and yeast counts were found to be 1.07 log cfu.g-1. Coliform group bacteria were not found in the analyzed samples. When microbiological results were compared statistically, it was determined that there was no significant difference between cheese samples.