Erzurum Civil Cheese Description and Distinctive Features of the Product: Erzurum Civil Cheese is a type of cheese in the low-fat or fat-free category, obtained by curdling de-fatted cow's milk with liquid rennet, coagulating, heating, mixing, and kneading the resulting curd, hanging it on hooks to develop a thread-like structure. It is a cheese with little or no fat. Erzurum Civil Cheese has a white color due to its low-fat or fat-free content. As fat-free milk is used in its production, the milk used in butter making can also be utilized. It is associated with the province of Erzurum. The most significant characteristic of Erzurum Civil Cheese is its thread-like structure. The hanging process in its production results in a thread-like structure within the mass, giving it a fibrous texture. It does not have a cylindrical structure and is in the form of a block with strands that do not separate. Typically, it is in the form of blocks that are four fingers wide. Since it is immersed in brine in large masses, it retains minimal salt. No additives such as starter culture and calcium chloride are used in its production. Only milk, rennet, and salt are used. It falls into the category of cheeses that are boiled during production. As there is a possibility of spoilage during the production of milk, expertise is required in its production. Production Method: In the production of Erzurum Civil Cheese, milk obtained from cows grazing in the high mountains between the valleys of Erzurum province is used. The milk taken into the facility is processed through separators to remove the fat. The fat-free milk is then acidified to a level of 22 Soxhlet-Henkel (°SH). To acidify, either whey or natural acidity is added. It is gradually heated, and at a temperature of 35-45 °C, approximately 100 ml of liquid rennet is added to 4 ml of milk to allow coagulation. Following this step, the thermal treatment continues. Curd particles begin to form in the milk at 52-62 °C. The formed curd particles are gathered together by stirring and wrapped around a wooden ladle. Meanwhile, the heating process continues until it reaches 60-65 °C. The resulting curd is shaped into threads through kneading and stretching. Simultaneously, the cheese wrapped around the wooden ladle is hung on hooks for further stretching. The cheese is collected from the hook, hung again, and this process is repeated several times. During the final hanging process, the cheese is left suspended for 30 minutes. This process ensures that the cheese gains a thread-like (fibrous) structure. Once the cheese has acquired a fibrous structure, it is placed on a clean surface to allow excess water to drain. Later, it is matured by brining, vacuum packaging, dry salting, or pressing with 20-30% fat-free cottage cheese. Erzurum Civil Cheese can also be consumed fresh.