QUALITY OF RAS CHEESE MADE BY PROBIOTIC STRAIN OF Lactobacillus rhamnosus

Five Ras cheese treatments were made by replacing normal cheese stater with Lactobacillus rhamnosus. Cheese treatments were microbiologically. chemically and organoleptically evaluated when fresh and after 1,2,3 and 4 months. Moisture content decreased, while total nitrogen, bit, ash, titratable acidity, soluble nitrogen, total volatile fatty adds (TVFA), Shilovich number and score of organoleptic properties increased by repladng the normal cheese starter with Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and the increases were proportional to the rate of repladng. Moisture content of all cheese treatments decreased during ripening period, while fat, total nitrogen, water soluble nitrogen, Shilovich number, TVFA and scores of organoleptic properties increased. Lactobacillus rhamnosus counts increased during the first month of ripening period then decreased. Cheese treatment (T4) being made, with adding 1.0% Lactobacillus rhamnosus exhibited the highest count, and even after the ripening period, it contained higher count of probiotic bacteria than that should be present to achieve the therapeutic effect Also this cheese treatment was the most acceptable cheese treatment.