Burrata Cheese Research Articles

Burrata cheese: Trends over the last decade and future research

Burrata cheese: Trends over the last decade and future research

Application of Commercial Biopreservation Starter in Combination with MAP for Shelf-Life Extension of Burrata Cheese.

Burrata is a fresh pasta filata cheese manufactured in Italy. Its demand on the worldwide market is constantly growing, and prolonging its shelf-life is an important challenge for the Italian dairy industry. In the present study, combining a commercial bio-protective starter and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) was evaluated as a strategy to delay the spoilage of product quality. Three experimental samples of burrata were produced by experimental trials at the industrial level and stored for 28 days under refrigerated conditions. Two samples contained the protective starter but were packaged differently (under MAP and immersed in water), and one did not contain the starter and was packaged under MAP. A sample of burrata without a starter and immersed in water was also prepared and used as a control. The combination of MAP and bio-protective starter delayed the degradation of lactose and citric acid, used as indices of microbial activity. In fact, lower counts of Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas were observed in this sample. In contrast, control burrata had the highest level of total Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) at the end of the storage period, because of higher microbial activity. Even though all samples were judged to be unacceptable after 28 days from the sensory point of view, the sample with bio-protective starter under MAP had the best score after 21 days, obtaining a shelf-life extension of about 7 days with respect to control. In conclusion, the combination of MAP and protective starter culture could be an easy way to extend the shelf-life of burrata stored under correct refrigerated conditions.

Use of dry ice as innovative technology to preserve the chemical and microbial characteristics of burrata cheese

Use of dry ice as innovative technology to preserve the chemical and microbial characteristics of burrata cheese

"Burrata di Andria" PGI Cheese: Physicochemical and Microbiological Features.

In the last century, the exponential increase of industrial food production led to the disappearance of “Italian traditional niche products”. However, national regulations allowed the preservation of several of these products, including the burrata cheese. Twenty-one samples from three different batches of “Burrata di Andria” Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) were purchased from dairy factories of the PGI consortium. Moisture value of PGI Burrata cheese was significantly higher than that before the PGI release. Moreover, a significantly lower NaCl value was detected in PGI raw milk Burrata cheeses with respect to non-PGI ones, while an opposite situation was detected in pasteurized milk Burrata cheeses. As for pH, in all PGI products lower values were observed with respect to non-PGI products, which resulted significant only in pasteurized ones. No Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, and Bacillus cereus were detected, while nine samples were positive for a nonpathogenic strain of Yersinia enterocolitica. Total viable count (TVC) and Escherichia coli resulted significantly lower in pasteurized than in raw milk PGI Burrata cheese samples. Although samples analyzed can be considered microbiologically safe, these were borderline and/or unsatisfactory for E. Coli and coagulase-positive staphylococci (CPS) according to process hygiene criteria established by European regulation. Therefore, different strategies should be adopted to improve products hygiene in the considered dairy factories.

Use of Exopolysaccharide-Synthesizing Lactic Acid Bacteria and Fat Replacers for Manufacturing Reduced-Fat Burrata Cheese: Microbiological Aspects and Sensory Evaluation

This study aimed to set-up a biotechnological protocol for manufacturing a reduced-fat Burrata cheese using semi-skimmed milk and reduced-fat cream, in different combinations with exopolysaccharides-synthesizing bacterial starters (Streptococcus thermophilus, E1, or Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis and Lc. lactis subsp. cremoris, E2) and carrageenan or xanthan. Eight variants of reduced-fat cheese (fat concentration 34–51% lower than traditional full-fat Burrata cheese, used as the control) were obtained using: (i) semi-skimmed milk and reduced-fat cream alone (RC) or in combination with (ii) xanthan (RCX), (iii) carrageenan (RCC), (iv) starter E1 (RCE1), (v) starter E2 (RCE2), (vi) both starters (RCE1-2), (vii) E1 and xanthan (RCXE1), or E1 and carrageenan (RCCE1). Post-acidification occurred for the RCC, RCX, and RCE2 Burrata cheeses, due to the higher number of mesophilic cocci found in these cheeses after 16 days of storage. Overall, mesophilic and thermophilic cocci, although showing cheese variant-depending dynamics, were dominant microbial groups, flanked by Pseudomonas sp. during storage. Lactobacilli, increasing during storage, represented another dominant microbial group. The panel test gave highest scores to RCE1-2 and RCXE1 cheeses, even after 16 days of storage. The 16S-targeted metagenomic analysis revealed that a core microbiota (S. thermophilus, Streptococcus lutetiensis, Lc. lactis, Lactococcus sp., Leuconostoc lactis, Lactobacillus delbrueckii, and Pseudomonas sp.), characterized the Burrata cheeses. A consumer test, based on 105 people, showed that more than 50% of consumers did not distinguish the traditional full-fat from the RCXE1 reduced-fat Burrata cheese.

Dietary Fibers and Protective Lactobacilli Drive Burrata Cheese Microbiome

This study was aimed at improving the functional attributes and shelf life of burrata cheese by using protective lactobacilli (Lactobacillus plantarum LPAL and Lactobacillus rhamnosus LRB), fructooligosaccharides, and inulin. Six burrata cheeses were made using (i) the traditional protocol (control), (ii) the addition of 0.5% fructooligosaccharides and inulin (DF cheese), (iii) protective lactobacilli in milk alone (PL cheese), (iv) protective lactobacilli in milk and governing liquid (2PL cheese), (v) protective lactobacilli in milk and dietary fibers (DF_PL cheese), and (vi) protective lactobacilli in milk and governing liquid and dietary fibers (DF_2PL cheese). As expected, DF, DF_PL, and DF_2PL cheeses showed 1.5% of total fibers. Burrata cheeses produced by adding protective lactobacilli only in milk (PL and DF_PL cheeses) showed the lowest acidification during cheese making and storage. Lactic and acetic acids and ethanol were found at the lowest concentrations in these samples. Analyses of cultivable microbiota and the microbiome showed that protective lactobacilli reduced the house microbiota components (e.g., Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactococcus lactis, and Leuconostoc lactis) during cheese making and storage. Protective lactobacilli slowed the growth of staphylococci, coliforms, and Pseudomonas spp., especially in early storage. According to the different microbiome assemblies, burrata samples differed in peptide profiles and the levels of free amino acids. As shown by a sensory analysis, the addition of protective lactobacilli in milk improved the flavor and increased the shelf life of burrata cheese. In comparison to cheeses made using protective cultures only in milk, the shelf lives of those containing cultures also in the governing liquid were not further prolonged and they received lower acceptability scores by the panelists.IMPORTANCE This study provides more in-depth knowledge of the microbiome of burrata cheese and the set-up for a novel biotechnology using prebiotic dietary fibers and protective probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum LPAL and Lactobacillus rhamnosus LRB in milk. The biotechnology proposed in this study should be considered a useful tool to improve the functional value of burrata cheese. The use of protective lactobacilli in milk enhanced the flavor formation and shelf life of burrata cheese.

Technological Strategies to Preserve Burrata Cheese Quality

Burrata cheese is a very perishable product due to microbial proliferation and undesirable sensory changes. In this work, a step-by-step optimization approach was used to design proper processing and packaging conditions for burrata in brine. In particular, four different steps were carried out to extend its shelf life. Different headspace gas compositions (MAP-1 30:70 CO2:N2; MAP-2 50:50 CO2:N2 and MAP-3 65:35 CO2:N2) were firstly tested. To further promote product preservation, a coating was also optimized. Then, antimicrobial compounds in the filling of the burrata cheese (lysozyme and Na2-EDTA) and later in the coating (enzymatic complex and silver nanoparticles) were analyzed. To evaluate the quality of the samples, in each step headspace gas composition, microbial population, and pH and sensory attributes were monitored during storage at 8 ± 1 °C. The results highlight that the antimicrobial compounds in the stracciatella, coating with silver nanoparticles, and packaging under MAP-3 represent effective conditions to guarantee product preservation, moving burrata shelf life from three days (control sample) to ten days.

Production and characterisation of reduced-fat and PUFA-enriched Burrata cheese.

Burrata is an Italian fresh 'pasta filata' cheese made from cow's milk and cream that is rapidly spreading in Europe. It has very high caloric content, and a technological protocol was developed for producing a reduced-fat type and fortifying it with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) of vegetable origin. A satisfactory reduced-fat prototype was obtained by using a 14% fat cream, which was specifically developed by diluting double cream with a suspension of carob seed flour. The composition of the new cheese changed with respect to the control, but the sensory characteristics were not impaired. Moisture increased from 62·6 to 68·4%, fat on dry matter decreased from 59·1 to 34·7%, and the caloric content decreased from 1060·8 to 718 J/100 g. Proteolysis and lipolysis were not affected by the technological modifications: after 7 d storage, the electrophoretic pattern of caseins and the free fatty acids profile of experimental and control cheeses were not significantly different. Fortification of reduced-fat Burrata with PUFA was obtained by using two commercial formulates available at a compatible price with the current economic values of the cheese. The two formulates derived from flaxseeds and Carthamus tinctorius oil and allowed enrichment in C18 :3 : n3 (α-linolenic acid, ALA), and 9cis,11trans- and 10trans,12cis- conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), respectively. Fortification was easy to perform under a technical point of view, but the negative sensory impact limited fortification at a maximum of 7·0 mg g-1 fat ALA and 6·8 g-1 fat CLA.

Microbiological Quality of Burrata Cheese Produced in Puglia Region: Southern Italy

Burrata cheese is a popular typical Italian food product, produced in Puglia (an administrative region of southern Italy), and this study investigated the microbiological quality of 404 samples of this cheese. The samples were analyzed in order to quantify Escherichia coli and to detect the presence of Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp., and Listeria monocytogenes. No sample exceeded the values of E. coli set by EC Regulation 1441/07 for some dairy products, while 15 (3.7%) samples tested coagulase-positive staphylococci positive, with values greater than 10(3) CFU/g. One strain of S. aureus was identified and characterized from each of these positive samples, and of these strains, 7 (46.6%) produced staphylococcal enterotoxin A, 5 (33.3%) produced staphylococcal enterotoxin C, 2 (13.3%) produced staphylococcal enterotoxin D, and 1 (6.6%) produced both staphylococcal enterotoxins A and D. All strains were mecA negative. The 15 S. aureus isolates were tested for their antimicrobial resistance patterns, and all analyzed strains showed antimicrobial resistance properties for at least one of the tested antibiotics. Testing for the other pathogens mentioned above gave negative results. The results of our study mean that the microbiological quality of Burrata cheese can be assumed to be good, although care must be taken with raw materials and good hygiene during processing in order to guarantee greater food safety.

Lysozyme/EDTA disodium salt and modified-atmosphere packaging to prolong the shelf life of burrata cheese

To prolong the shelf life of burrata cheese, we evaluated the effects of lysozyme and EDTA disodium salt (Na2-EDTA) with or without modified-atmosphere packaging (MAP) conditions. In particular, 3 concentrations of enzyme were combined with packaging in air and under MAP (95:5 CO2:N2). The decline in quality of burrata cheese stored at 8°C was assessed by monitoring microbiological and sensory quality, in addition to pH and headspace composition. The combination of lysozyme/Na2-EDTA and MAP prolonged cheese shelf life, especially at the highest lysozyme concentration. In particular, the tested strategy was effective against microbial spoilage phenomena that appeared to be the quality factor that determine product unacceptability.