Temperature of fresh Minas cheeses exposed for sale in retail trade

Abstract

This research aimed to investigate the temperatures of fresh Minas cheeses, one of the most consumed dairy products in Brazil, in commercial establishments, with the objective of verifying the adequacy of this parameter with that recommended by the legislation and with what was described on the labels. For this purpose, temperatures of 50 samples of fresh Minas cheese were measured in ten supermarkets, located in the municipality of São Gabriel da Palha, Espírito Santo. Notes were also taken of the type of equipment used to store the cheeses in each establishment and the maximum storage temperature specified on their labels for the conservation. The results were compared with the maximum storage temperature specified on the label and with what is determined by the legislation. It was found that the equipment used to display the cheeses under refrigeration was showcase type, varying between the opened (40%) and closed (60%) models. It was observed that 60% of the sale establishments kept the cheeses preserved according to the temperature recommended by the manufacturer and by the legislation and 83.3% of them used the closed showcase type. This finding suggests that this model provides a more effective control of the storage temperature, being more suitable for the conservation of fresh Minas cheese. The commercial establishments must, therefore, adopt measures to ensure that the cheeses remain stored at an adequate temperature and the inspection agencies must intensify the surveillance of these products exposed for sale.