Lecevacki cheese

U radu su opisani tradicijski hrvatski sirevi, a prikazan je i njihov značaj s obzirom na globalizaciju i industrijalizaciju u proizvodnji hrane. Najvažnija odlika tradicijskih sireva je njihova originalnost tehnologije i izvornost sirovine ugrađene u te proizvode. Kako se radi o proizvodima potencijalno vrlo velike profitabilnosti (visoke cijene), važno je na tim proizvodima provesti jednu od mogućih zaštita na europskoj razini. U tom smislu, upravo tvrdi sirevi jadranskog i dinarskog područja čine značajan potencijal s obzirom da se za njihovu proizvodnju koristi visokovrijedna sirovina - ovčje mlijeko proizvedeno od ekstenzivno uzgajanih ovaca na prirodnim pašnjacima karakterističnog botaničkog sastava u kojem dominira aromatsko mediteransko bilje. Ovo mlijeko karakterizira vrlo visok udio pojedinih kemijskih sastojaka, osobito masti i proteina, zbog čega predstavlja najbolju sirovinu upravo u proizvodnji tvrdih sireva. U radu je načinjen pregled kemijskog sastava ovčjeg mlijeka najvažnijih hrvatskih pasmina ovaca čije se mlijeko koristi u proizvodnji tvrdih sireva. U radu je dan pregled osnovnih tehnoloških parametara u proizvodnji tvrdih tradicijskih sireva s obzirom na vrstu, tipizaciju i toplinsku obradu mlijeka, sirenje, rezanje i obradu sirnog zrna, izgled, soljenje i zrenje sira. Prikazani su parametri karakterizacije sireva s obzirom na kemijsko-fizikalni sastav, biokemijske promjene i populaciju mikroorganizama koja dominira u tehnološkom postupku proizvodnje i zrenja sira, a koja određuje okus i miris zrelog sira. Također su opisane glavne značajke i tehnologija proizvodnje Lećevačkog sira, kao najvažnijeg tradicijskog sira sa šireg područja Splita, koji se oduvijek proizvodio na obiteljskim gospodarstvima i u industrijskim uvjetima, a opisane su i njegove senzorske značajke.In this review traditional Croatian cheeses were described as well as their importance considering globalization and industrialization in food production. The most important property of traditional cheeses is their originality and origin of milk that is incorporated in those products. As the high profitability (high price) of the products is very important it is necessary to conduct one of possible protections on European level. In that sense, hard cheeses from Adriatic and Dinara areas have significant potential due to the fact that high value raw material - sheep milk produced from breed with very extensively management using natural pasture with characteristic botanical composition consisting aromatic Mediteranean plants, is used in their production. This milk is characterized with high percentage of some chemical components, especially fat and protein. Considering that fact, this milk represents the best material especially for hard cheese production. In this paper the review of milk chemical composition of the most important Croatian sheep breeds which milk is used for production of hard cheeses, was performed. The review of basic technological parameters in production of hard traditional cheeses considering type, standardization and heat treatment of milk, renneting, curd cutting and drying, dimension, salting and ripening is represented. Characterization parameters of cheese, considering chemical and physical composition, biochemical changes, dominant microflora which dominates in technological production procedure and determines taste and odour of mature cheese, are shown. The basic characteristics and technology of Lecevacki cheese production was described too, as the most important traditional cheese from Split area surroundings. This cheese type was produced on family farms as well as on industrial level for some time. Its sensory characteristics are described in the paper