EFFECT OF GRAPE POMACE-BASED GELLAN GUM FILMS AS AN ACTIVE EDIBLE FILM ON THE SHELF LIFE AND QUALITY OF KASHAR CHEESE

In this study, grape pomace, an agricultural waste, was transformed into a value-added packaging material by being used in the production of functional gellan gum (GG) through fermentation. The effects of the resulting grape pomace-based GG films (GP-GG) on the shelf life and quality of Kashar cheese were compared with cheese wrapped with a commercial GG film (Control-1) and unpackaged cheese (Control-2) during 30 days of storage at 4°C. At the end of storage, total yeast-mold (6.36 log CFU/g) and total mesophilic aerobic bacteria (4.51 log CFU/g) counts in GP-GG wrapped cheese were significantly lower than in Control-1 (8.06 and 8.06 log CFU/g) and Control-2 (11.22 and 10.26 log CFU/g), respectively. The GP-GG film also reduced weight loss, slowed the increase in free fatty acidity, and preserved textural integrity. These findings suggest that GP-GG films can effectively extend Kashar cheese shelf life by enhancing its microbiological and physicochemical stability.