Aroma Compounds of Some Traditional Turkish Cheeses and Their Importance for Turkish Cuisine

Abstract

Cheese is so important to the Turkish cuisine. It is eaten plain as part of the traditional Turkish breakfast, used in salads, and incorporated into cooked foods such as b?rek, pide, menemen and also used for some traditional desserts. There are several types of cheeses with different characteristics and aroma compounds, and they can be used for preparation of various foods as an additive. The formation of cheese aroma basically associated with lipids, proteins and lactose content of milk, besides raw or pasteurized milk, starter or non-starter bacteria, ripening conditions. Cheese flavoring agent is used in a variety of products such as salads, pizza, breads. General properties of some traditional Turkish cheeses, their aroma compounds and importance for Turkish cuisine are discussed.