Caracterização do sistema de produção de queijo artesanal da Serra Geral - MG

Abstract

Artisanal cheese is the cheese produced with whole milk, fresh and raw, in property that maintains dairy farming activity. Currently, there are eleven artisanal cheese producing regions recognized in the state of Minas Gerais. The production and marketing of cheese by the producers of the Serra Geral region, in Minas Gerais, as well as several producers in the country, does not receive sanitary inspection and does not have standards of identity and quality of their product. The objective, therefore, of this work, is to diagnose the cheese manufacturing process in the Serra Geral region, in the north of Minas Gerais, evaluating the conditions of production and the existence of a production pattern. The diagnosis of the process and processing conditions of artisanal cheese produced in the Serra Geral region was carried out in September 2017, in 28 producing units that compose the region, through visits for in loco verification and structured interview with questionnaire application. The data obtained indicated lack of cheese standardization, with six different production processes and non compliance of the current legislation regarding infrastructure, processing conditions and good manufacturing practices. It is important to make investments in training so that producers have knowledge about the necessary requirements for the adequacy and attainment of a standardized and safe product for consumption.