This study has been conducted to enumerate the microbiological contamination during ripening period of Kurdish cheese in local condition. Total mesophilic bacteria count; staphylococcus aureus and salmonella were investigated according to National Standards of Iran. Samples were taken from cheeses on day 0, 20, 40 and 60. Salmonella identification was carried out after pre-enrichment of the sample in buffered peptone-water and enrichment in selenit cystine broth and incubated at 37ºC for 18-24h. After the enrichment step, the cultures were surface streaked onto brilliant green agar and Heckton agar. These plates were incubated at 37ºC for 24-48h. Coagulase positive Staphylococcus enumeration on Baird parker Agar (BPA) incubated at 35±1ºC for 48h. Colonies were examined by Gram strain, catalase test, anaerobic utilization of glucose and manitol and coagulase test and Total viable counts were enumerated on duplicate plate count agar after incubation at 30° C for 24 h. According to our results, After 20 day ripening the numbers of micro-organisms reach their maximum but no staphylococcus aureus were detected at the end of the ripening period. Salmonella was not detected in any samples examined. The total average mesophilic bacteria of Kurdish cheese samples was 15.5 × 105 cfu/g.

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