Erzurum Civil Cheese

Erzurum Civil Cheese is a traditional cheese distinguished by its stringy texture, produced from skimmed or low-fat cow’s milk. This product, registered with a “Geographical Indication” by the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office, is made from milk obtained from cows grazed on the high-altitude pastures of Erzurum Province and is recognized as a cheese variety uniquely associated with the region.

Product Description and Distinguishing Characteristics

Erzurum Civil Cheese is characterized by its stringy and fibrous structure and is produced without any additives other than milk, rennet, and salt. Its white color results from the use of skimmed or low-fat milk. The stringy texture is formed through stretching and kneading processes, with filaments distributed throughout the mass in a thread-like pattern.

Appearance: Shaped in molds approximately four fingers wide, it exhibits prominent stringy fibers within its interior. The surface has a shiny, uniform white appearance and does not take a cylindrical shape.

Taste and Texture: It has a slightly salty, clean, and mild milk aroma. Due to its firm yet elastic stringy structure, it does not easily break apart. It contains a high level of moisture.

Distinguishing Characteristics: The most distinctive feature of Erzurum Civil Cheese is its stringy texture, formed through the stretching and pulling processes applied during production. Additionally, its production using only milk, rennet, and salt without any additives demonstrates the preservation of traditional methods. Due to the use of skimmed milk, it has a high protein content and low fat content.

Erzurum Civil Cheese (Türkiye Culture Portal)

Production Method

1. Milk Collection and Fat Removal: Milk obtained from cows grazing on pastures in Erzurum Province is processed to remove its fat.
2. Acidification: The skimmed milk is acidified to a level of 22 °SH either by adding whey or through natural fermentation.
3. Renneting: Liquid rennet (4 ml) is added to 100 ml of milk and the mixture is incubated at 35–45 °C.
4. Coagulation: The temperature is raised to 52–62 °C, causing curd formation. The curds are then gathered on a wooden paddle and kneaded.
5. String Formation: The curd is stretched and pulled at 60–65 °C to form strings, then hung on racks.
6. Hanging: The hanging process is repeated several times to develop the stringy structure, with the final stage involving hanging for 30 minutes.
7. Aging: The cheese, after draining its whey, is aged using brining, vacuum packaging, or pressing with whey. It can also be consumed fresh.

Chemical Properties (maximum):

• Fat: 3%
• Dry matter: 32%
• Moisture: 68%
• Salt: 2% (in product), 7% (in brine)
• pH: ≥4.5
• Acidity (lactic acid): ≤1.5%

Geographical Boundary and Control

The production of Erzurum Civil Cheese is restricted to Erzurum Province and its districts. The product is intrinsically linked to the region’s climate, pastures, and milk production traditions.