Free Fatty Acid Profile of Köy Cheese Consumed in Erzurum and its Region

Abstract

Köy cheese is a type of cheese with white interior, slightly yellowish exterior, a slightly firm texture, and a mild salty taste. It is produced and consumed in some regions in the Marmara and Aegean regions of Turkey, as well as in Bayburt, Yusufeli and Erzurum regions. The present study was conducted to determine the free fatty acid profile of Köy cheeses consumed in Erzurum and its surrounding areas. Analyzes were carried out by GC-MS using 10 cheese samples, and as a result, the presence of 25 free fatty acids was determined. Among these, short-chain fatty acids accounted for 2%, medium-chain fatty acids for 7%, and long-chain fatty acids for 91%. Palmitic acid (36.3563±5.4150%), oleic acid (22.0077±5.3136%), myristic acid (12.3104±2.1054%) and stearic acid (11.9837±3.1320%) were the prominent fatty acids among total free fatty acids. This study is considered to be significant in terms of providing data about the free fatty acid profile of Köy cheese produced and consumed widely in Türkiye.