Information Package / Course Catalogue
Cheese Technology
Course Code: SU233
Course Type: Required
Couse Group: Short Cycle (Associate's Degree)
Education Language: Turkish
Work Placement: N/A
Theory: 2
Prt.: 1
Credit: 3
Lab: 0
ECTS: 4
Objectives of the Course

To provide students with a theoretical and practical understanding of the fundamental technological processes in cheese production (selection of raw materials, pretreatment, coagulation, processing, salting, ripening, and packaging); and to equip them with the skills to plan and carry out the production of various types of cheese in accordance with the Turkish Food Codex and TS standards.

Course Content

It covers the production of white cheese—which is the most commonly produced cheese in our country—as well as other types of cheese.

Name of Lecturer(s)
Learning Outcomes
1.Can explain the definition of cheese, its historical development, and the classification criteria based on coagulation methods and water/fat content; can compare the industrial importance of white cheese and Kashar cheese, which are the most commonly produced types of cheese in Turkey.
2.Understands the quality criteria for cow’s milk used in cheese production; can compare the advantages and disadvantages of animal-derived (rennet), microbial, and recombinant cheese starter cultures; can classify mesophilic and thermophilic starter cultures; can select the appropriate starter culture composition for both types of cheese; and can explain the mechanisms of bacteriophage infection.
3.Understands the functions and dosage limits of salts used in cheese production, rennet salts, calcium chloride (CaCl²), and preservative additives; can carry out milk clarification, thermization, and pasteurization processes for white cheese and Kashar cheese production lines.
4.Can manage the fermentation and curdling processes (temperature, time, starter culture dosage) for white cheese and Kashar cheese; can determine the maturity of the curd for cutting using empirical methods. Can perform the ploughing and curd cutting steps in the production of Kashar cheese.
5.You can plan the dry salting and brining methods separately for white cheese and Kashar cheese; adjust the brine parameters (salt content, temperature, pH) for white cheese; and explain the glycolysis, proteolysis, and lipolysis reactions that occur during the ripening process for both cheeses.
6.Can implement all stages of white cheese production technology in accordance with the TS 591 standard and all stages of Kashar cheese production technology in accordance with the TS 10057 standard; can compare the production processes of the two cheeses, from raw material selection to ripening; can determine storage conditions; and can conduct quality control procedures by identifying sensory and physical defects.
Recommended or Required Reading
1.Dairy Technology (Prof. Dr. Atilla YETİŞMEYEN) Publications of the Faculty of Agriculture, Ankara University
2.Dairy Technology (Prof. Dr. Ahmet KURT) Publications of the Faculty of Agriculture, Atatürk University
3.Dairy Technology (Prof. Dr. Mustafa Üçüncü) Publications of the Faculty of Engineering, Ege University
Weekly Detailed Course Contents
Week 1 - Theoretical & Practice
Definition of cheese, its historical development, and the main criteria used in its classification (coagulation method, water and fat content)—Evaluation and classification of various cheese samples using sensory analysis methods
Week 2 - Theoretical & Practice
Quality criteria for milk as a raw material for cheese; the structural and functional properties of animal rennet and the determination of rennet dosage—Evaluation and classification of various cheese samples using sensory analysis methods
Week 3 - Theoretical & Practice
Comparison of microbial and recombinant cheese cultures; basic functions of starter cultures—Evaluation and classification of various cheese samples using sensory analysis methods
Week 4 - Theoretical & Practice
The functions and dosage limits of salts used in cheese production, rennet salts, calcium chloride (CaCl²), and preservative additives— Determination of the physical and chemical parameters of milk
Week 5 - Theoretical & Practice
Milk clarification, thermal processing (thermization and pasteurization), and standardization; the effects of thermal processing on milk components—Milk clarification and pasteurization
Week 6 - Theoretical & Practice
Methods of milk enrichment; basic principles of the fermentation and coagulation processes. Determining curd maturity, cutting parameters, and syneresis—Calculating yeast quantity and yeast strength
Week 7 - Theoretical & Practice
Processing of telemen; operating principles of pressing and molding systems—Determining curd formation and cutting maturity, and pressing
Week 8 - Theoretical & Practice
Salting Methods (Dry, Brine, and Combined) and Adjusting the Brine Composition—Brine Adjustment and Cheese Salting
Week 9 - Theoretical & Practice
Cheese ripening and the biochemical changes that occur during the ripening process (glycolysis, proteolysis, and lipolysis)—The cheese ripening process
Week 10 - Theoretical & Practice
Cheese packaging, storage, and shelf life; identification of sensory and physical defects based on cheese quality control parameters, with a focus on brine-packed white cheese—A factory visit to observe the production line up close
Week 11 - Theoretical & Practice
Production processes and flowcharts for world-renowned cheese varieties—Determining the chemical properties and classifying various cheeses
Week 12 - Theoretical & Practice
Production Processes and Flow Charts for Traditional Cheese Varieties—White Cheese Production
Week 13 - Theoretical & Practice
Production Processes and Flow Charts for Traditional Cheese Varieties—White Cheese Production
Week 14 - Theoretical & Practice
Kashar Cheese Production Technology, Production Stages, and Production Flowchart—Kashar Cheese Production
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Type of AssessmentCountPercent
Assignment1%5
Quiz1%5
Midterm Examination1%30
Final Examination1%60
Workload Calculation
ActivitiesCountPreparationTimeTotal Work Load (hours)
Lecture - Theory140228
Lecture - Practice141128
Assignment1189
Quiz1112
Midterm Examination114115
Final Examination114115
TOTAL WORKLOAD (hours)97
Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes
PÇ-1
PÇ-2
PÇ-3
PÇ-4
PÇ-5
PÇ-6
PÇ-7
PÇ-8
PÇ-9
PÇ-10
PÇ-11
OÇ-1
4
4
4
4
2
3
4
1
3
OÇ-2
4
4
4
4
2
3
4
1
3
OÇ-3
4
4
4
4
2
3
4
1
3
OÇ-4
4
4
4
4
2
3
4
1
3
OÇ-5
3
4
4
4
2
3
4
1
3
OÇ-6
Adnan Menderes University - Information Package / Course Catalogue
2026