Caracterização microbiológica do queijo minas artesanal comercializado em São Paulo: segurança, higiene e diversidade microbiana / Microbiological characterization of artisanal minas cheese marketed in São Paulo: safety, hygiene and microbial diversity

Existe no Brasil uma grande variedade de queijos que se enquadram no conceito de "queijo minas artesanal". Produtores consideram que a legislação que regula o setor, em níveis municipal, estadual e federal, é confusa e excessivamente rigorosa, dificulta a padronização dos produtos, interfere no crescimento do setor e facilita a comercialização de queijos em desacordo com os padrões de higiene e segurança estabelecidos. Este trabalho de pesquisa de mestrado pretendeu gerar dados sobre as condições higiênico-sanitárias e segurança microbiológica de queijos minas artesanal, produzidos em Minas Gerais e coletados no comércio da cidade de São Paulo, bem como contribuir com informações a respeito da diversidade bacteriana nos queijos estudados. Foram estudadas 100 amostras de queijo minas artesanal coletadas no comercio de São Paulo, que foram submetidas à enumeração de microrganismos indicadores de higiene (coliformes, Escherichia coli e estafilococos), Salmonella e Listeria monocytogenes, empregando técnicas convencionais de cultivo e também moleculares. Os estafilococos coagulase positivos foram estudados quanto à tolerância à biocidas de interesse para alimentos, determinando-se também a diversidade microbiana, utilizando-se Next Generation Sequencing em Illumina MiSeq. Os resultados indicaram baixa ocorrência dos patógenos estudados, e que 10% e 32% das amostras excederam os limites para Escherichia coli e estafilococos coagulase positiva estabelecidos pelas legislações vigentes, respectivamente. Entre os estafilococos coagulase positiva, 37,7% foram tolerantes a algum dos biocidas testados, com maior prevalencia dos tolerantes ao cloreto de benzalcônio (75%). Quanto à diversidade bacteriana, os gêneros predominantes foram Streptococcus (32,7%), Lactococcus (30,6%) e Corynebacterium (15,6%). A microbiota bacteriana detectada nos queijos Canastra estudados não apresentou dissimilaridade quando comparada à microbiota bacteriana de outros queijos Canastra coletados nos locais de produção em outro estudo. Observou-se que as regiões de coleta dos queijos na cidade de São Paulo e os pontos de comercialização em São Paulo apresentam maior influência sobre a microbiota detectada para o queijo minas artesanal do que as regiões de produção (p<0,05), sugerindo a interferência das práticas de manipulação após a produção na diversidade bacteriana detectada nos queijos

There is a wide variety of cheeses in Brazil that fit the concept of "artisanal minas cheese". Producers consider that the legislation that regulates the sector, at municipal, state and federal levels, is confusing and excessively strict, hinders the standardization of products, interferes with the growth of the sector and facilitates the marketing of cheeses in disagreement with the hygiene and safety standards. This master's research work aimed to generate data on the hygienic-sanitary conditions and microbiological safety of artisanal Minas cheeses, produced in Minas Gerais and collected in São Paulo's commerce, as well as to contribute with information about the bacterial diversity in the studied cheeses. One hundred samples of artisanal Minas cheese collected in the São Paulo market were subjected to the enumeration of hygiene indicator microorganisms (coliforms, Escherichia coli and staphylococci), Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes, using conventional cultivation and also molecular techniques. Coagulase positive staphylococci were studied for tolerance to biocides of interest to food, and microbial diversity was also determined using Next Generation Sequencing in Illumina MiSeq. The results indicated a low occurrence of the studied pathogens, and that 10% and 32% of the samples exceeded the limits for Escherichia coli and coagulase positive staphylococci established by the current legislation, respectively. Among the coagulase positive staphylococci, 37.7% were tolerant to at least one of the tested biocides, with a greater prevalence of those tolerant to benzalkonium chloride (75%). As for microbial diversity, the predominant genera were Streptococcus (32.7%), Lactococcus (30.6%) and Corynebacterium (15.6%). The bacterial microbiota detected in the studied Canastra cheeses showed no dissimilarity when compared to the bacterial microbiota of other Canastra cheeses collected at the production sites in another study. It was observed that the cheese collection regions in the city of São Paulo and the marketing points in São Paulo had a greater influence on the detected bacterial microbiota than the production regions (p<0.05), suggesting the interference of the practices of manipulation after production in the bacterial diversity detected in the cheeses

Avaliação microbiológica de queijos minas artesanais provenientes da Serra da Canastra durante e após o período de maturação / Microbiological evaluation of artisanal minas cheeses from Serra da Canastra during and after the ripening period

O queijo minas artesanal da Canastra é produzido na região da Serra da Canastra por pequenos produtores, sendo que alguns são cadastrados no Programa Queijo Minas Artesanal (PQMA) do Instituto Mineiro de Agropecuária (IMA). Por ser fabricado com leite cru, é importante que os patógenos que podem ser veiculados sejam controlados durante e após o período mínimo de maturação do queijo de 22 dias. Este trabalho avaliou as características microbiológicas de queijos obtidos de 78 produtores rurais da região da Canastra após a maturação e de três produtores rurais durante maturação. As contagens de coliformes totais, Escherichia coli e Staphylococcus coagulase positiva foram realizadas em placas Petrifilm® (3M). A detecção de Salmonella spp. foi realizada utilizando o método ISO 6579: 2002 e por PCR convencional e Listeria monocytogenes foi investigada de acordo com o método ISO 11290-1:1996/(A) 1: 2004 e PCR convencional. A contagem de Enterobacteriaceae foi determinada pelo método APHA 9.62: 2015. As mensurações de pH foram realizadas de acordo com o método IAL 017/IV em pHmetro digital BEL engineering e aferidas diretamente com pHmetro Hanna Instruments e a atividade de água (aw) em analisador Aqua Lab. No estudo realizado ao longo da maturação, as análises indicaram que as amostras, todas provenientes de produtores cadastrados no PQMA, atingiram os limites estabelecidos pela legislação antes dos 22 dias de maturação. Houve diferença significativa (p<0,05) no pH das amostras ao longo da maturação, embora este parâmetro não tenha correlação com as contagens analisadas. Já no estudo pós maturação, os resultados mostraram que 54% das amostras dos produtores cadastradas e 65% das amostras dos produtores não cadastradas no PQMA não atenderam a pelo menos um parâmetro microbiológico exigido pela legislação. As contagens obtidas para Enterobacteriaceae variaram de <1 a 6,6 log UFC/g, para coliformes totais de <1 a 6,4 log UFC/g, E. coli de <1 a 5,8 log UFC/g e Staphylococcus coagulase positiva de <1 a 7,6 log UFC/g. Em nenhuma amostra foi encontrada Salmonella spp e L. monocytogenes foi detectada e confirmada por PCR em uma amostra analisada. Os valores obtidos de pH e aw estratificados em grupos que atendem e não atendem a legislação não mostraram diferença significativa, sugerindo que esses parâmetros não são bons indicadores de qualidade microbiológica do produto. O elevado número de não-conformidades indica que são necessários esforços para melhoria das condições higiênico-sanitárias refletidas por meio dos indicadores microbiológicos. O registro no PQMA mostrou-se efetivo durante o estudo da maturação, mas não teve o mesmo resultado no estudo mais abrangente realizado pós maturação. São necessários mais esforços dos produtores (cadastrados e não cadastrados) bem como dos órgãos reguladores para melhoria dos indicadores microbiológicos

Canastra artisanal minas cheese is produced in the Serra da Canastra region by small farmers who may or may not be registered in the Artisanal Minas Cheese Program (PQMA) of the Agricultural Institute of Minas Gerais (IMA). Since this cheese is made from raw milk, it is important that the pathogens that may be carried in this product are controlled during the 22 days of ripening. This work evaluated the microbiological characteristics of cheese samples from 78 rural properties in the Canastra region after the ripening period and during ripening in three rural properties. Total coliform counts, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus coagulase positive were performed on Petrifilm® plates (3M). The detection of Salmonella spp. was performed using the ISO 6579: 2002 method and conventional PCR and Listeria monocytogenes was investigated according to ISO 11290-1: 1996/(A) 1: 2004 and conventional PCR. The Enterobacteriaceae count was determined by the APHA method 9.62: 2015. The pH analyzes were performed according to the IAL 017/IV method on a BEL engineering digital pHmeter and measuring directly with Hanna Instruments pHmeter and the water activity (aw) in Aqua Lab analyzer. In the study carried out during ripening, the analyzes indicated that the samples, all from properties registered in the PQMA, reached the limits established by the legislation before the 22 days of ripening. There was a significant difference (p <0.05) in the pH of the samples during ripening, even though this parameter did no correlate with the microbiological counts. In the post-ripening study, the results showed that 54% of samples from PQMA registered properties and 65% of samples from non-registered properties did not comply with at least one microbiological parameter required by the legislation. Enterobacteriaceae counts ranged from <1 to 6.6 log CFU/g, for total coliforms from <1 to 6.4 log CFU/g, E. coli from <1 to 5.8 log CFU/g and Staphylococcus coagulase positive from <1 to 7.6 log CFU/g. Salmonella spp was not detected and L. monocytogenes was detected and confirmed by conventional methodology and by PCR in one analyzed sample. The pH and aw values stratified in groups that complied and did not comply with the legislation showed no significant difference, suggesting that these parameters are not good indicators of microbiological safety of the product. The high number of nonconformities indicates that efforts are needed to improve the hygiene and sanitary conditions reflected through the microbiological indicators. The PQMA registration was effective during the ripening study but did not have the same result in the larger post-ripening study. More efforts are needed from producers (registered and non-registered) as well as regulators to improve microbiological indicators of this cheese

Determining the minimum ripening time of artisanal Minas cheese, a traditional Brazilian cheese

Physical, physicochemical, and microbiological changes were monitored in 256 samples of artisanal Minas cheese from eight producers from Serro region (Minas Gerais, Brazil) for 64 days of ripening to determine the minimum ripening time for the cheese to reach the safe microbiological limits established by Brazilian legislation. The cheeses were produced between dry season (April–September) and rainy season (October–March); 128 cheeses were ripened at room temperature (25 ± 4 °C), and 128 were ripened under refrigeration (8 ± 1 °C), as a control. No Listeria monocytogenes was found, but one cheese under refrigeration had Salmonella at first 15 days of ripening. However, after 22 days, the pathogen was not detected. Seventeen days was the minimum ripening time at room temperature to reduce at safe limits of total coliforms > 1000 cfu.g−1), Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus (> 100 cfu.g−1) in both periods of manufacture. Otherwise under refrigeration, as expected, the minimum ripening time was longer, 33 days in the dry season and 63 days in the rainy season. To sum up, we suggest that the ripening of artisanal Minas cheese be done at room temperature, since this condition shortens the time needed to reach the microbiological quality that falls within the safety parameters required by Brazilian law, and at the same time maintain the appearance and flavor characteristics of this traditional cheese.

Propriedades probióticas in vitro de Lactobacillus spp. isolados de queijos minas artesanais da Serra da Canastra - MG / In vitro probiotic properties of Lactobacillus spp. isolated from Minas artisanal cheese from Serra da Canastra - MG

O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar o potencial probiótico in vitro de Lactobacillus spp. isolados de queijos minas artesanais da Serra da Canastra, considerando-se o antagonismo entre amostras isoladas frente a microrganismos indicadores, a susceptibilidade a antimicrobianos, a sensibilidade ao ácido gástrico e a sensibilidade a sais biliares. Todas as bactérias ácido-lácticas testadas apresentaram resistência ao ácido gástrico (pH 2,0) e aos sais biliares (0,3%), bem como atividade antagonista contra Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella enterica var. Typhimurium, Enterococcus faecalis e bactérias ácido-lácticas isoladas dos próprios queijos - Lactobacillus plantarum (D27) e Lactobacillus rhamnosus (B25). Todas as amostras foram sensíveis à eritromicina e tetraciclina e resistentes à ciprofloxacina, gentamicina, oxacilina, estreptomicina e vancomicina. L. plantarum (B17) apresentou melhor potencial probiótico, pois obteve resultados satisfatórios em todas as propriedades avaliadas. Mais estudos são necessários para verificar a presença e a capacidade de transmissão de genes de resistência antimicrobiana a outros microrganismos e para avaliar o potencial dos microrganismos in vivo. As bactérias selecionadas poderão ser utilizadas na elaboração de queijos em que sejam mantidos o sabor e a tradição do queijo minas artesanal do estado de Minas Gerais...

The aim of this study was to determine some in vitro probiotic features of Lactobacillus spp. isolated from Minas artisanal cheese from Serra da Canastra in order to select some bacteria for future production of safer cheeses keeping their natural flavor and tradition. The evaluated properties were antagonism against indicator microorganisms, antimicrobial susceptibility and also sensitivity to gastric acid and to bile salts. All lactic acid bacteria tested were resistant to gastric acid (pH 2.0) and bile salts (0.3%). Antagonistic activities were detected against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella entericavar. Typhimurium, Enterococcus faecalis and other lactic bacteria isolated from the same cheese - Lactobacillus plantarum (D27) and Lactobacillus rhamnosus (B25). All samples were sensitive to the antimicrobials erythromycin, tetracycline and resistant to ciprofloxacin, gentamycin, oxacillin, streptomycin and vancomycin. L.plantarum (B17) presented the best probiotic potential. Further studies are needed to verify the presence and the capacity of transmission of antimicrobial resistance genes to other microorganisms and evaluate the in vivo probiotic potential of the selected microorganisms...

Microbiological aspects of the biofilm on wooden utensils used to make a Brazilian artisanal cheese

The artisanal Minas cheese is produced from raw cow's milk and wooden utensils were employed in its manufacture, which were replaced by other materials at the request of local laws. This substitution caused changes in the traditional characteristics of cheese. Due to the absence of scientific studies indicating the microbial composition of biofilms formed on wooden forms, tables and shelves used in these cheese production, the present work evaluated the counts of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, coliforms at 32 °C, yeasts, presumptive mesophilic Lactobacillus spp. and Lactococcus spp. in these biofilms, milk, whey endogenous culture and ripened cheese in two traditional regions: Serro and Serra da Canastra. Also, we checked for the presence of Salmonella sp. and Listeria monocytogenes in the ripened cheeses. The ultra structure of the biofilms was also assessed. Counts above legislation (> 2 log cfu/mL) for the pathogens evaluated were found in milk samples from both regions. Only one shelf and one form from Serro were above limits proposed (5 cfu/cm² for S. aureus and E. coli and 25 cfu/cm² for coliforms) in this study for contaminants evaluated. In Canastra, few utensils presented safe counting of pathogens. There was no Salmonella sp. and Listeria monocytogenes in the cheeses after ripening. Thus, the quality of the cheese is related to improving the microbiological quality of milk, implementation and maintenance of good manufacturing practices, correct cleaning of wooden utensils, and not its replacement.