###### Abstract  
The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of different factors on the basic physicochemical and microbiological parameters, as well as volatile organic compounds of traditionally (farm) and industrially produced \"bryndza\" cheese. The samples were obtained from eight producers in different areas of Slovakia during the ewe's milk production season, from May to September. The physicochemical parameters set by the legislation were monitored by reference methods. The \"bryndza\" cheese microbiota was determined by using the plate cultivation method. There was analysis of volatile organic compounds carried out by electronic nose, as well as gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Seasonality and production technology (traditional and industrial ones) are the main factors that affect the standard quality of \"bryndza\" cheese. Lactic acid bacteria were dominated from bacterial microbiota, mostly presumptive lactococci, followed presumptive lactobacilli and enterococci. The numbers of coliform bacteria were higher in traditionally produced \"bryndza\" cheese than in industrially produced \"bryndza\" cheese. The presence of _Dipodascus geotrichum_ was detected in all samples. There were key volatile organic compounds such as ethyl acetate, isoamyl acetate, 2-butanone, hexanoic acid, D-limonene, and 2,3-butanedione. The statistically significant differences were found among \"bryndza\" cheese samples and these differences were connected with the type of milk and dairies. \"bryndza\" cheese; electronic nose; gas chromatography; volatile organic compounds; microbiota +
Footnote †: journal: _Journal of Foods_  
0000-0001-9900-0001-9900-0000]J. J.  
chymosin-identical rennet [4], and the cheese grain is formed into the lump cheese. The lump cheese is drained at 18-22 \({}^{\circ}\)C for 24 h and is left to ripen for 3 days at 18-22 \({}^{\circ}\)C. The production process continues by further ripening at 12-15 \({}^{\circ}\)C for 7-10 days. Ripened ewe's lump cheese is processed by removing the crust, pressed to remove whey and milled with salt solution (4-6% _w/w_), in order to obtain the specific creamy texture of \"bryndza\". The mountainous regions of Slovakia differ in altitude, climate, geological, and vegetation profile and there are some scientific evidences about variability of \"bryndza\" cheese. There are several studies related to the variability of \"bryndza\" that are lack of common characteristics of this Slovak cheese [5]. Ewe's cheese represents a matrix with a specific composition which reflected ewe's milk, as well as different autochthonous non-starter lactic acid bacteria (NSLAB) that produce typical aroma profile of ewe's lump cheese, barrelled ewe's cheese and \"bryndza\" cheese [4; 5]. [PERSON] et al. [6] identified 870 isolates from coliforms, enterococci, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and yeasts in Slovak \"bryndza\" cheese by MALDI TOF MS profiling. The most frequently identified species of gram-negative bacteria were _Hafnia alvei_ and _Klebsiella oxytoca_. The most frequently identified species of gram-positive bacteria were _Lactococcus lactis_ and _Lactobacillus paracasei_. LAB group was represented by _Lactobacillus_, _Lactococcus_ and _Pedicococcus_. [PERSON] et al. [7] confirmed that microorganisms that belong to the species _Galactomyces candidus_ and _Yarrovia lipoiltica_ as typical yeasts of \"bryndza\" cheese. Numerous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of cheese, including raw milk-based ewe's cheese are formed by proteolysis and by the subsequent transformation of amino acids [8] to \(\alpha\)-keto acids [9]. There has been two different major pathways of amino acid degradation identified in _L. lactis_[10] so far. The first pathway is initiated by an elimination reaction of methionine catalyzed by amino acid lyases, and leading to major sulfur aroma compounds [11; 12]. The second pathway is initiated by a transamination reaction catalyzed by aminotransferases and resulting especially in volatile amino acids, branched chain amino acids and methionine [13; 14].