QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF STEAMED CHEESES OF SLOVAKIA AND NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES

Abstract

The work compared the quality of steamed cheese samples from Slovakia (group A – SR; unsmoked steamed, smoked steamed threads,

oštiepok cheeses or salami cheeses, parenica cheeses) and neighboring countries (group B – CZ, C – HU, D – PL, E – UA). From the point of view of the sensory analysis, it turned out that the evaluators evaluated sample A1 as the best cheese (unsmoked threads from Slovakia). Their surface was smooth, shiny and of a slightly yellowish color, the consistency was flexible to stiffer, slightly brittle, with separating fibers. The smoked threads from Ukraine (E2) was the worst in the evaluation. The consistency was extremely firm, very hard, not very flexible, with poorly separating fibers. We determined the lowest dry matter content in sample A1 (44.27 ± 0.33), sample B1 did not reach the minimum required dry matter content of 48% declared (46.30 ± 0.24). The sample E2 had the highest dry matter content (65.97 ± 0.26) and also had the highest salt content (6.90 ± 0.09). Statistical significance in the "parenica" group was confirmed in the parameters: Dry matter, Fat in dry matter, Salt content, pH and Titratable acidity at the level of statistical significance p < 0.001. Coagulase-positive staphylococci were detected in all examined samples. Lactic acid bacteria were isolated in each cheese sample. Micromycetes were detected in five samples, where in the case of parenica samples (B4 – CZ; D4 – PL; E4 – UA). During the year, the growth of micromycetes in the samples represented a statistical significance of p < 0.05.