Sensory properties and chemical composition of Sharri cheese from Kosovo.

Food sensory properties, analyses and chemical composition are very important because they provide information about product quality and end-user acceptance or preferences. An assessment of sensory characteristics and chemical composition of mountain sheep and cow's-milk cheese from shepherd's huts and industrial manufacturers in Kosovo was carried out. Consumer-oriented tests us-ing a 9 point hedonic scale were conducted in order to determine Sharri cheese acceptability. Chemi-cal parameters (fat content, fat content of dry matter, acidity, protein, dry matter, mineral and water content and sodium chloride content) of 45-day brine cheese samples were also analyzed. Chemical and sensory assessment demonstrated large property differences. A recommendation stems from the results showing that the standardization of both artisanal and industrial production of Sharri cheese is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]