Development of a new Brazilian semi-hard (Coalho) Buffalo cheese made with the inclusion of cow milk and functional potential / Desenvolvimento de um novo queijo semiduro brasileiro (Coalho) de búfalo feito com a inclusão de leite de vaca e potencial funcional

Abstract

This study aimed to produce a new Brazilian Coalho buffalo cheese with 45% cow milk and potential functional through inulin and Lactobacillus plantarum addition. The Four treatments were made: the control (CTL) without functional ingredients, prebiotic (PRE) with Inulin, probiotic (PRO) with L. plantarum, and symbiotic (SYM) with both Inulin and L. plantarum. The starter culture (Lactococcus spp.) and L. plantarum viability and pH were analyzed during cheese ripening (0, 4, 8, and 10 days). While moisture, fat, and fat in the dry matter parameters were evaluated after ten days of storage ripening. During the ripening, the Lactococcus spp. growth was significant in the first eight days. The starter culture stabilized in counts above 7.1 log UFC.g-1. In the same period, L. plantarum was no growth ( 10) neither in PRO nor SYM treatments. The higher Lactococcus spp. counts (up to 10.6 Log UFC.g-1) in PRE and PRO cheeses leads to the most intense pH decrease (5.4) during the ripening. All treatments pointed to a moisture content between 38.09% to 40.49% and classified as Brazilian Coalho cheeses. The PRE had a higher FDM content (42.66%), while the lowest values were from SYM (35.53%). Thus, inulin addition does not negatively affect parameters tested, indicating a good fiber source for prebiotic semi-cooked and semi-hard cheeses. The L. plantarum viability was compromised during the process. Future studies about temperature adaptation, previous activation of strains or even encapsulation techniques associated with starter function should be evaluated to draw the best inoculation strategies for this probiotic for Coalho buffalo cheese.