Czech J. Food Sci., 2012, 30(6):512-519 | DOI: 10.17221/233/2011-CJFS

Estimation of the shelf-life of halloumi cheese using survival analysis

Rabih KAMLEH¹, Imad TOUFEILI², Rola AJIB¹, Bilal KANSO¹, John HADDAD³

¹ Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon

² Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon

³ Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Notre Dame University, Zouk Mosbeh, Lebanon

Halloumi cheese blocks, packaged in vacuum polyamide/polyethylene laminate bags, were stored at 5, 15, and 25°C. The changes in total bacterial count, lactic acid bacteria, total anaerobic bacteria, yeasts and molds, pH, and titratable acidity were monitored during the storage. The appearance of the packaged Halloumi cheese exhibited significant correlations with the counts of the different microbial populations inhabiting the cheese. The shelf-life of the stored Halloumi cheese was determined using survival analysis and considering consumer rejection as a failure index. The nominal shelf-lives of Halloumi cheese were 79.6, 37.8, and 2.6 days when stored at 5, 15, and 25°C, respectively. The Q₁₀ values (shelf-life at T °C/shelf-life at T + 10°C) at 5°C and 15°C were 2.1 and 14.5, respectively. The increase in the counts of different microbial populations during storage highlights the need for adherence to good manufacturing practices and maintenance of low temperatures during the storage and distribution of the packaged Halloumi cheese.

Keywords: d cheese; microbiology; sensory; Q10

Published: December 31, 2012  Show citation