Avaliação da qualidade microbiológica do Queijo Minas Artesanal produzido na Serra da Canastra - MG

Abstract

The Minas Gerais State is the most traditional cheese producer in Brazil, a secular producer, highlighting in the production of artisanal Minas cheese, activity is passed from father to son and used important income source of family economically and socially. The artisanal Minas cheese is a food producing with raw milk, using traditional techniques, which used a endogenous yeast called "pingo", composed by lactic bacteria and yeasts, which are factors that together the other distinct characteristics differentiates it from the other cheeses. The artisanal cheese can contain several micro-organisms, among them the potentially pathogenic species. For these reasons, is essential to prevent reprinting those pathogens in milk products, once the Minas artisanal cheese and produced with raw milk. The objective of this study was to conduct a review of the literature concerning the assessment of microbiological quality of Minas artisanal cheese produced in the region of Serra da Canastra - MG, since the manufacture until the final product. In the course of work was reported the history of cheese and the Minas artisanal cheese, the densities of micro-organisms indicators of quality and hygienic sanitary (coliforms at 30º and 45ºC), the quantifications of Staphylococcus spp. , molds and yeasts, the presence or absence of Salmonella spp. , and Listeria monocytogenes found in studies conducted with Minas artisanal cheese of the Serra da Canastra. As for the methodology, qualitative research was performed based on information obtained by means of scientific articles, magazines, textbooks, web sites of federal and state organizations, contacts with state organs responsible via e-mail, theses and dissertations. However, according to the results presented in this study observed the need of some improvements during the production process of Minas artisanal cheese of the Serra da Canastra, whose the objective aiming to obtain a cheese with uniform quality, and consequently, ensure a food product safe and with its traditional characteristics differentiated maintained.