One hundred samples of fresh and pickled ka reish cheese (50 each) were collected from markets in assiut province.
The samples were subjected to physical and chemical examinations. The physical characteristics of examined sam ples showed the presence of holes with vari ous shapes and sizes in 96% of fresh cheese, while such defect could be detected in 58% of pickled cheese Bitter taste could be detec ted in 10% of fresh cheese and in 22% of pic kled cheese, while putrifactive odour was fo und in 2% of fresh as well as pickled cheese. The gross chemical constituents including moisture, total solids, fat, proteins and ash as well as determination of sodium chloride and titratable acidity of fresh cheese 69.56% , 30.44%, 5.58%, 17.49%, 4.66% and 0.77% res pectively, while those of pickled cheese were 60.88%, 39.12%, 6.41%, 18.99%, 12.68%, 9.37% and 1.57%, respectively.