Kars province is located on the highest plateaus of Turkey. It has many mountains exceeding three thousand metres in height. 38 percent of the provincial territory is covered with mountains and 51 percent with high plateaus. Kars Plateau is covered with abundant grasses and is very suitable for animal husbandry. Kars has very favourable conditions especially for cattle breeding due to its geographical structure and wide meadows and pastures. While large pastures and the climate suitable for fodder plant production contribute to the development of animal husbandry in the region, the long and harsh winters have a negative impact on animal production. Eastern Anatolian Red, Swiss Esmeri, Montofon, Zavot, Simmental and hybrids of these animal species constitute the majority in the region. It is possible to feed at least 10 times the current animal potential in the pastures and meadows covering 70 per cent of the provincial territory. Kars is the province with the highest number of cattle and is the centre of live animal trade.
It is Turkey’s first cheese museum, Kars Cheese Museum Project was initiated by Kars Governor Türker ÖKSÜZ in 2020, it was designed as a result of his personal follow-up, design and evaluations, and within the scope of the project works, the Cavalry Bastion (Dere Bastion) building was functionalised as a Cheese Museum and opened to visitors as “Kars Cheese Museum” in February 2022.
Author(s) Details:
Asya Çetinkaya
Department of Food Engineering, Engineering and Architecture Faculty, Kafkas University, TR-36100 Kars, Turkey.
Güven Gülbaz
Department of Food Engineering, Engineering and Architecture Faculty, Kafkas University, TR-36100 Kars, Turkey
Recent Global Research Developments in Kars Gruyere Cheese: Traditional Production Techniques
Kars Gruyere Cheese: A Traditional Delight
Kars Gruyere cheese, produced using traditional methods, has a rich history and unique flavor profile. Here are some key points from recent research:
Volatile Compounds: Researchers aimed to identify the volatile compounds in Kars Gruyere cheese. They extracted samples from 20 different sales points and used solid-phase micro-extraction (SPME) followed by Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometer (GC/MS) analysis. In total, they identified 40 compounds, including aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, acids, esters, terpenes, and more [1] .
Significant Compounds: Among the compounds, acetaldehyde, nonanal, 2-pentanone, ethanol, acetic acid, and others play a significant role in Kars Gruyere’s aroma and flavor [1] .
Traditional Production: Kars Gruyere cheese is predominantly produced in the Eastern Anatolia Region of Turkey, particularly in the province of Kars. It’s made from raw cow’s milk with the addition of rennet and thermophilic starter culture (propionic acid bacteria) [1] .
Physical Process: The production process involves physical labor, with five men using leverage and their body weight to create this delicious cheese.
Economic Importance: Approximately 90% of Gruyere cheese in Turkey is produced in the province of Kars. It ranks after kashar, tulum, and white cheese in terms of production volume [1] .
References
- Çetinkaya, A., & Kaban, G. (2017). A View on volatile compounds of Kars Gruyere Cheese, a traditional cheese in Turkey. American Journal of Food Science and Technology, 5(1), 6-10.
