INFLUENCE OF MILK ON THE CONTENT AND TOTAL PROTEIN CHANGES DURING RIPENING WHITE CHEESE IN INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION

Sjenica cheese is one of the most famous of the group of white cheese in brine of the Republic of Serbia. Center of the production are mountain plateau surrounding the city Sjenica. It is produced by indigenous technology on individual farms, as well as in industrial conditions of micro dairies. The raw material for the production is fresh whole fat cow and sheep milk, which is made without the application of heat treatment. Because proteins are the most important parameter of chemical composition and milk quality, which affects the course of making cheese, and the quality and overall value of the cheese depends on them, it is necessary to establish their content and the changes during cheese ripening. Research results have shown that the total protein content of 1-day maturity in cow milk cheese was 14.80%, and in sheep milk cheese 17.67%. The differences between two kinds of cheese were statistically highly significant. The total protein content in both kinds of cheese during the first 30 days of ripening uniformly increased and it reached the maximum. After this period the total protein content was found in cow milk cheese 17:54% and 19.07% in sheep milk cheese. These differences were statistically significant. In the last period of 30-45 days of maturity we had in both kinds of cheese a slight reduction in total protein levels. At the end of the ripening period of 45 days, total protein ranged in cow milk cheese 17, 41% and 18.75% in sheep milk cheese. These differences were statistically significant.