An overview of recent studies on the main traditional fermented milks and white cheeses in the Mediterranean region

ABSTRACT

Traditional dairy products have always been an important component of different communities’ diet, especially in Mediterranean rural areas, where people used to produce fermented milks and cheeses in order to preserve milk and prevent its spoilage. The aim of this article is to review the major traditional fermented milks, white brined cheeses, fresh cheeses, and varieties ripened in animal skin bag that are produced in the Mediterranean region. An update on the latest scientific developments concerning their manufacturing process, and some chemical and microbiological characteristics, is presented.

KEYWORDS:

• Characteristics
• fermented milks
• Mediterranean
• traditional
• white cheeses