Traditional Cheeses of Eastern Anatolia Region in Turkey

Cheese which dates back to ancient times is an important part of our daily diet. Cheese constitutes 13% of the registered consumption of milk and dairy products worldwide. Our country has a rich variety in terms of both regional cheeses and industrial cheeses. Many traditional cheeses are produced in the Eastern Anatolia Region. The name of some cheeses produced in the region varies according to the locality. Erzincan Tulum cheese, which is commonly produced in Erzincan, Erzurum, Elazığ, Tunceli and Bingöl, is also called Şavak Cheese. One of the traditional cheeses produced in the region is Kars Kashar Cheese. Also, in recent years, the production of Gravyer Cheese in Kars and Ardahan provinces has become widespread. Various plants grown in the Eastern Anatolia Region are used in the traditional cheese production. The first ones of these cheeses are Herby Cheese and Cacik Cheese. Approximately, 70-80% of Herby Cheese is produced in Van. This cheese is called Van Herby cheese. Another traditional cheese produced in Eastern Anatolia Region is Civil cheese which is widely produced in Erzurum. This cheese plays an important role in the formation of taste and aroma of green mould cheese that develops during ripening. Identification, classification and standardization of the characteristics of traditional cheeses produced in the Eastern Anatolian Region and production technologies play an important role in the introduction of these products. For this purpose, production methods, physical and chemical properties of traditional cheeses produced in Eastern Anatolia Region have been compiled in this section.

Keywords: Cacik Cheese, Civil cheese, Chemical Properties, Eastern Anatolia Region, Gravyer Cheese, Herby Cheese, Kars Kashar Cheese, Microbiological Properties, Physical Properties, Production Methods, Traditional Cheese, Tulum Cheese, Şavak Cheese, Turkey.