Microbiological and chemical quality of traditional Ponor cheese.

Abstract

Traditional manufacture of cheese has gained significant endorsement interest by increasing consumer demands for quality traditional food. Labelling of local cheeses is strictly related to their origin, which offers specific characteristics according to each region. Combining traditional cheese making and good product safety is a challenge, since the shelf-life of the dairy products is highly dependent on the present microi¬‚ora which pose a hazard in the final products. The aim of present work was to evaluate the main compositional parameters in order to reveal the peculiarities in the studied traditional cheese. Aspects of the microbiology of Ponor cheese and their signii¬cance with respect to the quality and safety of the i¬nal products were assessed in this paper. The samples were collected between 2009 and 2012 from a traditional cheese manufacturer from Apuseni Mountains. Dry matter, fat and protein content were analyzed along with the sensorial evaluation of the cheese in order to assess its traditional character. For the assessment of hygienic state, cheese samples were analyzed for the presence of Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli and Staphylococci coagulase-positive. Coliform and yeast/mould counts were also performed. The average of chemical parameters exceeded the minimum value in all samples. The values didn’t vary throughout the studied period, which certifies that the products are of a high value regardless of processing period. Detected levels of the bacteria were reasonable in all cheese samples tested. Coliforms ranged between 87 and 91 cfu/g; all the samples contained E. coli less than 10 cfu/g. S. aureus was present in all samples, but without exceeding the upper level. Salmonella spp. was not detected in any of the cheese samples tested. The yeast-mould counts were within expected ranges. Based on these results, Ponor cheese appears adequate for a microbiologically safe product and also has the appropriate chemical characteristics for a traditional product. Peculiarities of the vegetation from the studied area give the cheese its particular flavour and texture, in other words, its typicality.