Artisanal Cheese Research Articles

Dynamic changes in bacterial microbiota succession and flavour development during milk fermentation of Kazak artisanal cheese

Kazak cheese is a characteristic handcrafted fermented dairy product from the Uyghur Autonomous Region in China. The bacterial microbiota and volatile components during milk fermentation of Kazak artisanal cheese were investigated using Illumina MiSeq sequencing technology and headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC–MS), respectively. Lactobacillus and Lactococcus were found to be the main populations during milk fermentation. The relationships between microbiome succession and flavour dynamics were constructed based on bidirectional orthogonal partial least squares (O2PLS), which identified eight bacterial genera as key functional microbes for flavour production. Among these genera, Lactobacillus was positively correlated with benzoic acid and isoamyl alcohol, while Macrococcus and Anoxybacillus were negatively correlated with acetic acid, butanoic acid and isoamyl alcohol. This study provides a foundation for uncovering the mechanisms underlying the formation of the microbiota and flavour components in Kazak fermented cheese.

Natural starter culture on artisanal cheese

The use of natural starter culture in the manufacture of artisanal Minas cheeses is required by the government legislation in Brazil. However, there are no scientific support on role of the natural starter culture in these cheeses. The aim of this work was to compare artisanal Minas cheeses produced with and without natural starter culture to verify the influence on the physico-chemical and microbiological characteristics during the ripening process. The use of natural starter culture did not have a significant effect on the physico-chemical (dry matter, humidity, fat, pH, chlorides, water activity, ash, total protein, depth and extent of proteolysis) and microbiological (Escherichia coli, coliforms and Staphylococcus aureus) properties of the cheeses. The significant changes that occurred in the cheeses were mainly because of the ripening time. According to obtained results, natural starter has shown to be innocuous to traditional Minas Serro cheese. The present study is pioneering in the scientific literature and opens new horizons for the understanding of the requirement to use natural starter culture.

Short communication: High-throughput sequencing approach to investigate Italian artisanal cheese production

In this study, high-throughput sequencing (HTS) was used to investigate the microbiota of Robiola di Roccaverano production, an artisanal Protected Designation of Origin soft cheese made with raw goat milk by addition of a natural milk starter (NMS), from the Piedmont region of Italy. Different steps of production of Robiola di Roccaverano cheese at one artisanal dairy were monitored. Matched samples of milk, NMS, curd, and 5-d and 15-d matured cheeses were collected at different periods of the year. The DNA sequences obtained by HTS belonged to 5 phyla: Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, and Tenericutes. In milk, Proteobacteria and Firmicutes were mainly found, and several operational taxonomic units (OTU) belonging to contaminant bacteria such as Pseudomonas, Serratia, and Staphylococcus were observed. However, in NMS, curd, and 5- and 15-d cheeses, Firmicutes were principally observed where OTU of Lactococcus lactis were predominant, followed by Leuconostoc mesenteroides OTU. The results of the analysis showed high bacterial diversity in milk samples compared with NMS, curd, and 5- and 15-d cheeses, suggesting strong action of NMS in driving the characteristics of the final products.

Sabor, história e economia local: percepções dos consumidores gaúchos sobre o Queijo Colonial

Os queijos artesanais podem ser considerados patrimônios das comunidades que os produzem, pois expressam a evolução de um conhecimento compartilhado ao longo do tempo. O consumo desses queijos envolve a valorização de atributos tangíveis, como sabor, e características intangíveis, como tipicidade, sustentabilidade ambiental, social e econômica. O Queijo Colonial do Rio Grande do Sul é produzido por comunidades de descendentes de imigrantes, especialmente italianos e alemães, desde meados do século 19. O volume de produção anual no estado fica em torno de 12,5 mil toneladas, sendo a maior parte processada artesanalmente. O objetivo desse trabalho é analisar as percepções dos consumidores gaúchos com relação a esse produto, discutindo valores de consumo e atributos a ele associados. A coleta de dados foi feita por meio de um questionário estruturado, a metodologia seguiu o modelo survey, na qual 456 consumidores participaram. Nossos resultados demonstram que o Queijo Colonial tem reputação positiva junto aos consumidores, apresentando características como sabor, relação custo-benefício e seguindo normas de higiene que atendem às necessidades emocionais e funcionais de consumo. Mas ele é percebido igualmente como um produto que possui identidade cultural, visto como expressão de um saber-fazer histórico, produzido de forma respeitosa ao meio ambiente e tendo relevância para a economia dos locais onde é produzido, o que demonstra que os consumidores percebem o conteúdo patrimonial do Queijo Colonial do Rio Grande do Sul.

Behavior of Listeria innocua during the manufacturing and pit-ripening of Formaggio di Fossa di Sogliano PDO cheese.

Formaggio di Fossa di Sogliano is a traditional Italian Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) cheese ripened for a minimum of 5 months, with the feature of a ripening of at least 80 to at most 100 days in pits, digged into tuffaceous rocks according to medieval tradition of Italy. In this study, a challenge test using Listeria innocua as a surrogate of Listeria monocytogenes was performed, with the aim of increasing knowledge concerning the impact of the Fossa cheese process, and especially of the traditional ripening process of this PDO, on the behaviour of L. monocytogenes. Pasteurized milk was experimentally inoculated with 4.5 log CFU/mL cocktail by three L. innocua strains, and L. innocua and Mesophilic Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) counts as well as the evolution of temperatures, pH and aw values were monitored throughout the manufacturing and ripening processes. Throughout the ripening in maturation room a constant temperature of 8°C was observed reaching a temperature between 10 and 15.5°C during ripening into pit. In the final products data for LAB concentration, pH and aw values were roughly in accordance with literature, even if some differences were, probably due to variability of artisanal cheese productions. The numbers of L. innocua showed a slight decrease but remained stable until the end of ripening in maturation room, whereas a significant reduction of the microorganism was observed in the final product, at the end of the ripening into the pit. The findings give scientific evidence that the process of this PDO prevented the L. innocua growth, allowing us to speculate a similar behaviour of L. monocytogenes. Based on this study, the recommendation to extend as much as possible the ripening into pit (from 80 to 100 days) was provided to food business operators as a risk mitigation strategy to be implemented.

A comparative study of compositional, antioxidant capacity, ACE-inhibition activity, RP-HPLC peptide profile and volatile compounds of herbal artisanal cheeses

The effect of aromatic herbs on the RP-HPLC peptide profile, angiotensin I-converting enzyme-inhibitory (ACE-i) activity, antioxidant capacity and volatile compounds in artisanal cheeses was investigated. Three representative artisanal cheeses (white brined, beaten and Kashkaval cheeses) were produced using aromatic herbs (Mentha longifolia, Origanum vulgare, Thymus longicaulis, Alium sativum, Petroselinum crispum, Capsicum annuum). Compared with control group, herbal cheeses (except white cheese with garlic and parsley) revealed a significant increase in antioxidant activity. The highest ACE-i activity was noticed in 60 days of ripening with a mean value of 98.72% in goat beaten cheese and 97.78% in Kashkaval cheese enriched with peppers. One hundred and one volatile compounds, mainly acids, esters and alcohols, were identified in significantly higher amounts in cheeses made with herbs and contributed to the development of the overall aroma perception.

Avaliação microbiológica do queijo artesanal produzido e comercializado em uma cidade do interior da Paraíba

O presente trabalho buscou analisar a qualidade microbiológica do queijo coalho artesanal produzido na zona rural do município de Soledade, Paraíba. Devido a sua importância socioeconômica para o produtor rural, uma vez que o queijo de coalho é um produto típico do Sertão nordestino. No estado da Paraíba há mais de 50 municípios produtores, sendo que a maioria fabrica este de forma artesanal, utilizando como principal matéria-prima o leite cru, tornando-se na prática uma fonte propícia a contaminação do produto. Para tanto foram realizadas análises microbiológicas seguindo os protocolos sugeridos pela RDC 12, de 02 de janeiro de 2001 e da instrução normativa 62, de 26 de agosto de 2003. Foram analisadas 07 amostras de diferentes produtores locais, que sofreram analises quanto a presença de coliformes fecais e termotolerantes, Escherichia Coli, Staphylococcus Aureus, Salmonella spp. e Listeria Monocytogenes. Ao final, as amostras dos queijos verificadas indicaram inviabilidade para o consumo humano, devido ao grande número de coliformes totais e Escherichia coli em todas as amostras, como também a presença de Salmonella Spp e Listeria Monocytogenes em quatro das amostras analisadas. Quanto a presença de Staphylococcus Aureus todas foram negativas. Portanto o queijo tipo Coalho fabricado na zona rural e comercializado na cidade de Soledade PB, apresentou condições desfavoráveis para o comércio e consequentemente consumo humano, pela quantidade encontrada de micro-organismos patogênicos, ultrapassando o limite exigido pela legislação brasileira.

Meta-analysis of cheese microbiomes highlights contributions to multiple aspects of quality.

A detailed understanding of the cheese microbiome is key to the optimization of flavour, appearance, quality and safety. Accordingly, we conducted a high-resolution meta-analysis of cheese microbiomes and corresponding volatilomes. Using 77 new samples from 55 artisanal cheeses from 27 Irish producers combined with 107 publicly available cheese metagenomes, we recovered 328 metagenome-assembled genomes, including 47 putative new species that could influence taste or colour through the secretion of volatiles or biosynthesis of pigments. Additionally, from a subset of samples, we found that differences in the abundances of strains corresponded with levels of volatiles. Genes encoding bacteriocins and other antimicrobials, such as pseudoalterin, were common, potentially contributing to the control of undesirable microorganisms. Although antibiotic-resistance genes were detected, evidence suggested they are not of major concern with respect to dissemination to other microbiomes. Phages, a potential cause of fermentation failure, were abundant and evidence for phage-mediated gene transfer was detected. The anti-phage defence mechanism CRISPR was widespread and analysis thereof, and of anti-CRISPR proteins, revealed a complex interaction between phages and bacteria. Overall, our results provide new and substantial technological and ecological insights into the cheese microbiome that can be applied to further improve cheese production.

Sustainability implementation challenges in food supply chains: a case of UK artisan cheese producers

Food supply chains are receiving increased attention due to rapid depletion of natural resources, increasing quality standards and rising food safety and security concerns. Implementing sustainability practices in food supply chains is believed to overcome such emerging challenges. However, limited studies address sustainability implementation concerns, particularly in cold food supply chains. Thus, this study attempts to identify factors hindering sustainability implementation in cold food chain networks by considering a case of UK artisan cheese producers. Survey data is utilised to identify and prioritise barriers for implementing sustainability following fuzzy analytic hierarchy process and sensitivity analysis. The analysis identified several key barriers, including initial investment cost, firm size and unawareness of government regulations. The internal barriers significantly dominate the implementation of sustainability practices in comparison to external barriers. Lack of consensus regarding the concept of sustainability by different stakeholders is observed to be an issue negatively affecting the level of integration in SMEs. Findings will help food and dairy SME's in gaining competitive advantage through the successful implementation of sustainability practices.

A land of cheese: from food innovation to tourism development in rural Catalonia

ABSTRACT Cheese recently acquired a major role as a tourist attraction, cheese tourism appearing in parallel to the increasing regional impact of food tourism practices. As a means of valuing local produce, recovering cultural heritage and appreciating natural landscapes, cheese making became a significant activity for community development, diversification and innovation in rural areas. Here, tourism is an innovation process that allows the economic survival of local small agri-food companies. Drawing from phenomenological ethnographic fieldwork based on participatory observation, this research discusses the mutual relations between the innovative processes of artisanal cheese sector and food tourism in rural Catalonia. Results provide evidence on how innovation occurs through milk and cheese production in rural environments as, from their role as primary economic activities, they progressively became a crucial actor within the tourism industry. This research contributes to the understanding of the processes of diversification and innovation in rural and natural environments, based on the specific case of artisanal cheese making in the Catalan Pyrenees. In this sense, gastronomic tourism practices confirm the entrepreneurial role of local producers in economic and tourist development.

Brazilian artisanal cheeses are rich and diverse sources of nonstarter lactic acid bacteria regarding technological, biopreservative, and safety properties—Insights through multivariate analysis

In this study a total of 220 isolates of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) recovered from 10 types of Brazilian artisanal cheeses marketed in 4 main regions of Brazil were evaluated regarding their safety and ability to produce diacetyl (a precursor of aromatic compounds), exopolysaccharides (EPS; from different sugar sources), and antagonistic activity against Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus. The results indicated that 131 isolates (59.6%) were classified as strong (40.5%) and moderate (19.1%) diacetyl producers; 28 isolates (12.7%) stood out due to their remarkable production of EPS from different sugars, including sucrose (3.2%), fructose (2.3%), lactose (2.3%), and glucose (6%). Furthermore, 94.1% and 95.9% of isolates presented antagonistic activity against S. aureus and L. monocytogenes, respectively, even though only 27 isolates (12.3%) exhibited positive results in the bacteriocin production test. None of the isolates tested presented hemolytic activity, and 117 were classified as safe, due to their intrinsic resistance to a maximum of 4 different antibiotics. The data obtained for assessment of antibiogram profile and technological potential (moderate and high production of diacetyl, EPS, and bacteriocins) were submitted to a multiple correspondence analysis to correlate them with the cheese of isolation. Regarding the antimicrobial profile of LAB strains, it was possible to verify an association between isolates from Minas artisanal cheeses from Araxá and resistance to tetracycline; Minas artisanal cheeses from Serro and resistance to erythromycin; Coalho and Minas artisanal cheese from Cerrado and resistance to penicillin; and isolates from Serrano and Colonial cheeses with clindamycin and ceftazidime resistance. Although the susceptibility of strains to these antibiotics was considered high (71.8-80.5%), these data may be related to the horizontal transfer of genes in the production chain of these cheeses. Results of multiple correspondence analysis also showed that isolates with antagonistic activity were mostly isolated from Manteiga, Colonial, and Coalho cheeses. The isolates with high or moderate EPS-producer ability from sucrose, glucose, and fructose were mainly associated with Minas artisanal cheeses from Cerrado. In contrast, isolates with high or moderate EPS-producer ability from lactose were isolated from Serrano, Minas artisanal cheeses from Canastra, and Campo das Vertentes microregions. Finally, isolates from Minas artisanal cheeses (from Araxá microregion), Coalho, and Caipira cheeses were associated with moderate/high diacetyl production. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study provides, for the first time, data indicating that the dominant technological, biopreservative, and safety properties of LAB isolates can be correlated with the type of Brazilian artisanal cheeses, which denotes its singularity. This knowledge is of utmost relevance for the development of starter or adjunct cultures with tailored properties.

Coalho cheese as source of probiotic lactic acid bacteria

The aim of this study was to characterize the probiotic potential of 24 lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains isolated from artisanal Coalho cheese from Pernambuco, Brazil by in vitro tests. The gastrointestinal tract (GIT) resistance, antimicrobial activity against intestinal pathogens, autoaggregation and coaggregation capacity, cell hydrophobicity, ß-galactosidase activity, deconjugate bile salt activity for the production of bile salt hydrolase (BSH), and the sensitivity to antibiotics were evaluated. Of the 24 strains, 22 remained viable to a simulated GIT. Two LAB inhibited the growth of Listeria monocytogenes and two inhibited Escherichia coli. The autoaggregation rate ranged from 27% to 96%, and the strains were able to coaggregate with Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli reaching levels between 58% and 47%, respectively. The hydrophobicity percentage ranged from 5% to 57%. Four strains were able to produce BSH. One LAB was able to produce up to 604 Miller units of ß-galactosidase. All strains were sensitive to five antibiotics and only two were resistant to vancomycin (30μg) and norfloxacin (10g). LAB strains which were able to overcome all barriers with a reduction of only one log cycle and LAB strains which were able to produce ß-galactosidase were identified by 16S rRNA sequence analysis as Lactococcus lactis subsp. Lactis, Enterococcus durans, and Enterococcus faecium. The evaluated LAB showed promising probiotic characteristics. Strains identified as L. lactis subsp. Lactis were selected for studies involving their technological potential to investigate the possible use of these microorganisms into a functional product.

Artisan minas cheese of Serro: proteolysis during ripening

The Artisan Minas Cheese (AMC) is the oldest and most traditional Brazilian cheese, it is produced in several regions of the state of Minas Gerais, such as the Serro region. The most striking features of the AMC-Serro are the use of raw milk and natural bacteria from the whey, popularly known as pingo, as well as the use of the rind washing process. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the proteolysis of the AMC-Serro from three different producers, during 60 days of maturation, and to relate the proteolysis to the producing farms, the production season and the rind washing during ripening. For this purpose, TRICINE-SDS-PAGE, proteolysis extension and depth indices, moisture, and texture (firmness) were evaluated. It was concluded that the temperature and moisture of the cheeses, that were determined by the location of the ripening room, the production season and the rind washing, were the most important factors. The degree of proteolysis also had an impact on the water loss during ripening, with effect on cheese safety. The results obtained in this study may be used to better understand the transformations during ripening of AMC-Serro and help the small traditional farmers to improve their product's quality and stability.

Determination of the growth potential of Listeria monocytogenes in various types of Belgian artisanal cheeses by challenge tests

Cheese potentially allowing the growth of Listeria monocytogenes must be free of the pathogen in 25 g before being put on the market, while 100 cfu/g is tolerated when the pathogen is unable to grow. Challenge tests were performed in order to assess the growth potential of L. monocytogenes in at least one batch of 32 Belgian cheese varieties from 32 factories. All varieties were grouped in four categories: unripened acid-curd cheeses, mold-ripened soft cheeses, smear-ripened soft cheeses and ripened semi-hard cheeses. Associated microflora and cheese physicochemical characteristics were also studied. A cocktail of three strains was used to inoculate cheese on the first day of shelf-life, and samples were stored until the end of shelf-life at 7–9 °C. Growth potential was considered as the difference (a) between median contamination at the end and at the beginning of the test or (b) between the highest value at the end of the test and the lowest value at its beginning. L. monocytogenes always decreased in unripened acid-curd cheeses but showed extended growth in 21 out of 25 batches of ripened soft cheese. Contrasting results were obtained for semi-hard cheeses, as important intra- and inter-batch variability was observed. For the latter, the recommended method based on medians to calculate the growth potential led to erroneous food safety considerations, and it should always be advised to focus on absolute levels.

QUEIJO MINAS ARTESANAL PRODUZIDO NA REGIÃO DE CANASTRA: CARACTERÍSTICAS DOS PARÂMETROS DE PRODUÇÃO, QUALIDADE DA ÁGUA E DOS QUEIJOS

The Serra da Canastra region is known for the production of a characteristic Minas artisanal cheese, named Canastra cheese. The objective of this study was to characterize the microbiological and physicochemical aspects of the water and cheese collected from the Minas artisanal cheese producing properties, as well as to characterize the environmental aspects of cheese manufacturing. The analyzes were carried out by private laboratories and the government in 2016 and 2017 and the results provided were tabulated and analyzed in the present study. In the physical chemical analyses of the water, the highest non-conformity was for free residual chlorine (44.69%). In the microbiological analyses of the water, 17.02% of the samples showed non-conformity for E. coli and total coliform parameters. In the microbiological analyses of the cheese, non-conformities were found in 7.84% of the samples for total coliforms at 30°C and 9.8% for coagulase-positive Staphylococcus spp. The physicochemical analyses of the cheese were all in compliance. No statistical association was found between the quality of the cheese and the water. The water sources were protected, however discard of the waste from cow pens, sanitary sewage, and garbage is still not properly handled. The study indicates that producers need to improve the quality control of the water supply for their cheese factories, fulfill the requirements of chlorine in the water and periodically verify this requirement, ensuring that the produced cheese is safe for human consumption.

The complex microbiota of artisanal cheeses interferes in the performance of enumeration protocols for lactic acid bacteria and staphylococci

We assessed the interference of a complex food microbiota, present in Minas artisanal cheese (MAC) produced in the Serro region, on the performance of enumeration protocols for lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and staphylococci. Initially, 140 isolates were obtained from 6 Serro MAC samples and plated for enumeration of LAB (3 variations of MRS, M17 and Petrifilm™ LAB) and staphylococci (Baird–Parker and Petrifilm™ STX); some target isolates did not grow or present atypical morphologies in their selective protocols. Then, Serro MAC samples (n = 55) were obtained and plated for LAB and staphylococci based on the same protocols: 2569 isolates were obtained from LAB and 1164 from staphylococci protocols: Petrifim™ LAB presented the highest frequencies of LAB-confirmed colonies, as Petrifilm™ STX for staphylococci (p < 0.05).

Evaluation of minimum ripening time of artisanal mountain cheese from Santa Catarina prior to selling

O queijo artesanal serrano (QAS) e produzido a partir de leite cru, tornando-se um meio propicio para a multiplicacao de micro-organismos patogenicos. O processo de maturacao envolve fatores fisicos, quimicos e microbiologicos que desfavorecem o desenvolvimento de patogenos. Diante disso, a legislacao exige um periodo minimo de 60 dias de maturacao, porem, de acordo com a IN no 30, de 7 de agosto de 2013 e com o Decreto no 9.013, de 29 de marco de 2017, pode-se considerar a possibilidade de reduzir esse tempo, desde que estudos cientificos comprovem que nao ha alteracao da inocuidade do produto. O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar a qualidade microbiologica de QAS, em 19 queijarias da Serra Catarinense, com 14, 21, 28 e 35 dias de maturacao e verificar qual periodo atenderia aos limites microbiologicos. Foram objetos de estudo 76 amostras de QAS, 19 amostras de agua e 19 amostras de leite cru. Os micro-organismos pesquisados seguiram a Portaria no 146, de 07 de marco de 1996. A pesquisa e quantificacao de coliformes a 30°C, E. coli e Staphylococcus coagulase-positiva, seguiram protocolos de Silva et al. (2010), utilizando Petrifilm™. A pesquisa de Salmonella spp. seguiu Silva et al. (2010) e a pesquisa de Listeria monocytogenese e a quantificacao de aerobios mesofilos seguiram a Instrucao Normativa no 30, de 26 de junho de 2018. Para avaliacao da potabilidade da agua foi realizada a tecnica do Numero Mais Provavel (NMP), seguindo a IN no 30/2018 e a Portaria de Consolidacao no 5, de 28 de setembro de 2017. Os resultados passaram por teste de Analise de Variância e Regressao Linear do pacote estatistico SAS com significância (p < 0.05). Nesse estudo, nao foi possivel determinar um periodo de maturacao seguro para comercializacao. Aos 35 dias de maturacao, 14 propriedades ainda apresentaram quantificacoes acima do limite para os micro-organismos descritos na legislacao. Em uma das propriedades, foi detectada a presenca de L. monocytogenes nos quatro periodos avaliados, demonstrando que a maturacao nao foi eficiente para eliminar o patogeno. A qualidade microbiologica do leite nao foi satisfatoria, sendo que 63,16% das amostras estavam fora dos padroes. Com relacao a potabilidade da agua das queijarias, 52,63% das amostras analisadas apresentaram resultados insatisfatorios. A pesquisa indicou heterogeneidade nos padroes higienico-sanitarios das queijarias, demonstrando que sao necessarias capacitacoes em Boas Praticas Agropecuarias e Boas Praticas de Fabricacao, apoio de instituicoes, fiscalizacao periodica e comprometimento dos produtores para padronizacao do processo.

Enterococcus spp. in Brazilian artisanal cheeses: Occurrence and assessment of phenotypic and safety properties of a large set of strains through the use of high throughput tools combined with multivariate statistics

Traditionally fermented food generally has unique sensorial aspects due to its high microbial diversity, being broadly consumed worldwide. Despite this, some Vancomycin-Resistant-Enterococci (VRE) can occur in these products, which raises questions about their safety. Thus, this study tries to assess information about the occurrence of Enterococcus strains in traditional Brazilian cheese samples collected from the five main regions as well as the characterization of their phenotypic (proteolytic, lipolytic and bacteriogenic potential) and safety (hemolysin activity and growth at commercial VRE selecting media) aspects. A total of 1669 lactic acid bacteria were isolated, of which 605 (36.2%) were identified as Enterococcus by 16sRNA sequencing. Out of these, E. faecium (58.7%) was identified as the dominant species, followed by Enterococcus faecalis (31.8%), Enterococcus durans (4.8%), Enterococcus hermanniensis (1.6%) and Enterococcus gilvus (1.6%). All the data were analyzed by multivariate statistics, and the findings highlighted the presence of Enterococcus as a naturally component of indigenous microbiota of Brazilian artisanal cheeses, mostly in the cheeses of Marajó, Coalho, and Manteiga, possibly as a consequence of their heat resistance and the curd cooking step applied during the process in these regions. The majority of the identified Enterococcus (63.1%) did not produce β-hemolysin and were not resistant to vancomycin. Interestingly some of these strains (21.4%) were able to inhibit Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 35152, mostly isolates from Serrano, Colonial, and Minas artisanal (from Cerrado microregion) cheeses. Also, 10.2 and 11.8% of them have shown moderate to high proteolytic and lipolytic activity, respectively. Anti-listerial activity is of most interest as it can contribute to reduce risk of listeriosis due to dairy products consumption, while proteolysis and lipolysis are responsible for some remarkable features (e. g. flavor, taste, and texture) of fermented foods. In summary, this study represents a contribution towards revealing some phenotypic and safety traits of a large set of strains of Enterococcus strains through the use of multivariate statistics combined with high throughput tools.

Effect of Supplementation of Herd Diet with Olive Cake on the Composition Profile of Milk and on the Composition, Quality and Sensory Profile of Cheeses Made Therefrom.

Simple SummaryReplacing conventional feed with waste biomass produced by crop-industrial processes can be a good practice for the sustainability of crop-livestock systems and an interesting solution for their disposal—as long as they maintain the quality of products. Considering the relationship between feeding management and qualitative profile in products of animal origin, the aim of our study was to assess the effect of dietary olive cake supplementation on nutritional quality, fatty acid composition, volatile and sensory profile of milk and the cheese produced by dairy cows. The experiment was carried out on eighty-four healthy dairy Friesian cows, divided into two homogenous groups. Animals were fed with a conventional diet (CTR group) and a conventional diet supplemented with dried olive cake (OC group). Data showed that olive cake utilization in the diet of lactating dairy cows may modify the quality of dairy products. The increased unsaturated fatty acids (oleic acid, vaccenic acid and CLA) and decreased SFA (short- and medium-chain fatty acids) suggest a positive role of olive cake in improving the nutritional and nutraceutical properties of the cheese. Moreover, the olive cake affected not only the volatile profile of the cheese, but also its appearance, smell and taste, which are associated with a higher score of acceptance.Aim of the present study was to assess the effect of dietary dried partially destoned olive cake supplement on nutritional quality and sensory profile of milk and cheese produced by dairy cows. The experiment was carried out on eighty-four healthy dairy Friesian cows divided into two homogenous groups. The control group (CTR) received a conventional diet, whereas the experimental group (OC) received a conventional diet supplemented with olive cake as 15% of DM. The trial lasted five months. Monthly, on individual milk samples, yield and physical-chemical parameters were determined. Milk was used for the artisanal cheese production. On 10 samples of cheese for each group, physical-chemical and fatty acid profile were determined. Electronic nose analysis and sensory evaluation were performed. Data were analyzed by ANOVA. The diet affected (p < 0.05) the milk yield, exclusively in September. Yield and quality of cheese of OC group after 60 d of ripening showed higher (p < 0.05) yield, moisture and fat content, lower (p < 0.05) pH, protein, salt and ash content, higher (p < 0.01) MUFA and PUFA and CLA content, lower (p < 0.05) SFA, higher (p < 0.01) UFA/SFA and hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic ratios, better (p < 0.01) atherogenic and thrombogenic indices. Data show dietary olive cake supplementation in lactating dairy cows improves nutritional and nutraceutical properties of cheese, volatile profile and level of assessors’ acceptance.

Review: “The Life of Cheese”

Bringing together insights drawn from nearly a decade of ethnographic research, Heather Paxson’s The Life of Cheese offers much to populate the theoretical landscape of artisanal cheese production in America.