SOME QUALITY PROPERTIES OF KURUT, A TRADITIONAL DAIRY PRODUCT IN TURKEY

Kurut is a sun-dried fermented milk product, traditionally consumed by the people of Turkey.The aim of this study was to investigate some chemical and microbiological properties and the mineral content of kurut. A total of 43 kurut samples produced from buttermilk by churning of cream (TG; n=27) or by yoghurt (YG; n=16) were collected from Erzurum and Bingöl provinces of Turkey. The samples of TG and YG groups contained aerobic mesophilic bacteria (3.1±2.20 log cfu/g, 0.25±0.89 log cfu/g), coliform bacteria (1.04±1.61 log cfu/g, <10), lactobacillus (2.71±2.49 log cfu/g, 0.29±1.05 log cfu/g), staphylococcus-micrococcus (0.25±0.99 log cfu/g, 0.45±1.32 log cfu/g), lactococcus (2.87±2.02 log cfu/g, 0.20±0.71 log cfu/g), yeast and mould (2.14±2.27 log cfu/g, 0.85±1.63 log cfu/g), respectively. Microbial content of TG group was significantly higher than that of YG group contents.Average levels of moisture, total ash, salinity, acidity, fat, pH, protein of TG and YG groups were (15.48±4.48%, 12.4±2.33%); (10.76±4.90%, 14.31±3.23%); (8.62±3.92%, 9.73±1.30%); (1.34±0.51%, 2.13±0.38%); (22.56±9.08%, 16.69±2.43%); (4.22±0.58, 4.01±0.13); (51.15±10.73%, 56.01±10.84%), respectively. Minerals in samples were scanned by WDXRF.Kurut is a product making possible the evaluation of buttermilk.The drying method will allow extended storage times for yogurt, which has a shelf life of about 1 week. Kurut has a very low moisture ratio, minimizing bacterial growth and bacterial spoilage of the product. Yogurt will turned into a long-life product in the form of kurut. Therefore, to increase the consumption of kurut is expected to positively affect public health. There is need in scientific studies towards determining the quality of kurut, modernizing its production and keeping conditions and making consumption widespread.