QUALITY AND TECHNOLOGY OF KAJMAK AND SKIMMED MILK CHEESE IN THE AREA OF ROMANIJA MOUNTAIN

Abstract

Kajmak is an autochthonous dairy product that has been produced in the mountainous Dinaric system of the Balkans for centuries. It is consumed as "young" or "mature" which is obtained after the ripening process. It is characterized by high fat content and significant protein content, primarily casein. Smoked Kajmak from the area of the Romanija mountain is of special quality, which acquires a mild taste and smell from the smoke. In this paper, the technology, chemical composition and sensory quality of 
Kajmak from the wider area of Romania were investigated. Kajmak is produced from cow's milk. Within the framework of these studies, the content of dry matter and fat of milk for the production of Kajmak was examined, as well as the influence on the content of dry matter, fat and fat in dry matter and also the yield of Kajmak. The technology of Skimmed milk cheese, which is made from skimmed milk after removing of fat layer - Kajmak, was also investigated. The yield, content of dry matter, fat and fat in dry matter of Skimmed milk cheese were tested. The distribution of milk ingredients in Kajmak, Skimmed milk cheese and whey was analyzed. The results showed a good quality of Kajmak, with a high content of fat and fat in dry matter. The technology varied depending on the production conditions and the raw material, so this caused considerable variations in the chemical composition, yield and sensory properties of Kajmak. By analyzing the distribution of milk ingredients in production, it was established that the largest percentage of milk dry matter turned into whey due to generation of its largest quantity in Kajmak/Skimmed milk cheese production. Correlation analysis showed that the production parameters of Kajmak and Skimmed milk cheese were interrelated. Correlation analysis showed that the yield of Kajmak was influenced by dry matter content of the milk, and the content of fat and fat in the dry matter of the Kajmak is influenced by the fat content of the milk.