Chemical and sensory characteristics of dried Çökelek cheeses at different temperatures

Drying is one of the most important and easily applicable preservation methods. Dill and black cumin were added to the Çökelek cheese after production. Drying was conducted in a tray dryer at different temperatures (40, 50, and 60°C). The sensory properties, chemical properties, phenolic content, and antioxidant activities of the dried cheese were determined. The contents of dry matter, protein, fat in dry matter, salt in dry matter, and pH values were found 60.36–66.91%, 31.89–35.84%, 21.80–24.73%, 9.68–11.13% and 6.06–6.13%, respectively. The phenolic content and antioxidant activity of the cheeses with black cumin were higher when compared to those of other samples. The samples produced with dill had the highest odor score at 60°C drying temperature. It was determined the effect of different drying temperatures on general appreciation of the cheese was significant (p < 0.05). The lowest general appreciation and taste scores were obtained with cheeses that included black cumin. Practical applications Cheese-drying process has advantages such as increasing cheese varieties and the shelf life, facilitating storage, and increasing the transportation capacity. Çökelek cheese has a short shelf life. Dill and black cumin are herbal plants. Enrichment of the cheese was provided by adding dill and black cumin to the cheese. This would also enable to utilize the Çökelek cheese in different applications. Creating a different product by drying the Çökelek cheese and increasing the shelf life would encourage further studies on this subject.