Abstract
This review focused on the historical, marketing, technological, and microbiological characteristics of artisanal Brazilian cheese. Brazilian cheese production was introduced and developed from the influence of immigrants considering the combination of climate, races of the animals, quality and specificity of milk, technological cheese-making processes and environmental microbiology, among other factors. It resulted in cheese products with specific physicochemical, microbiological, and sensory quality, which represent the heritage and identities of the different Brazilian regions. The production of artisanal cheese increased in many Brazilian regions, mainly in the southeast, especially due to the traditional production and innovative development of new varieties of cheese. The microbiological quality and safety of raw-milk artisanal cheese continues to be a concern and many studies have been focusing on this matter. Special attention needs to be given to the cheeses produced by raw milk, since numerous reports raised concerns related to their microbiological safety. This fact requires attention and the implementation of strict hygiene practices on the production and commercialization, besides appropriate governmental regulations and control. However, more studies on the relationship between technological processes and microbiological properties, which results in a superior culinary quality and safety of artisanal Brazilian cheeses, are needed.
Highlights
Latin American fermented food products have been developed from the combination of the folk traditions of native indigenous people and the strong influence of European traditions, generally referring to the practices of Portuguese, Spanish, and Italian immigrants, who conquered South and Central America
Using artificial neural network (ANN) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA), the authors contrasted the cheeses from different origins according to ripening depth index (RDI), ripening extension index (REI), and pH
For more than 200 years, some artisanal Brazilian cheese products have been made under semi-industrial or artisanal manufacturing conditions with raw milk, which results in these typical cheeses
Summary
Latin American fermented food products have been developed from the combination of the folk traditions of native indigenous people and the strong influence of European traditions, generally referring to the practices of Portuguese, Spanish, and Italian immigrants, who conquered South and Central America. Most of the cheeses produced in Brazil are influenced by European cheese-making practices, including Portugal, Spain, and non-Iberian countries, such as The Netherlands, Denmark, Greece, France, Italy, and Switzerland [1,2]. The knowledge of these immigrants generated a unique profile of fermented food products in Brazil throughout the last four centuries. The Brazilian geographical areas developed specific varieties of artisanal cheese which include fresh and ripened cheeses, produced with cow, goat, sheep, buffalo, or a mixture of the milk from different animal species. We present the historical overview of the traditional artisanal Brazilian cheeses, the marketing and future of artisanal cheese in Brazil, as well as the characteristics of different types of artisanal cheese, general manufacturing process and regions of production, along with the microbiological aspects and safety of these cheeses
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
