Increased presevation of sliced mozzarella cheese by antimibrobial sachet incorporated with allyl isothiocyanate

There is an increasing tendency to add natural antimicrobials of plant origin into food. The objective of this work was to develop a microbial sachet incorporated with allyl isothiocyanate (AIT), a volatile compound of plant origin, and to test its efficiency against growth of yeasts and molds, Staphylococcus sp. and psychrotrophic bacteria on sliced mozzarella cheese. Another objective was to quantify the concentration of AIT in the headspace of cheese packaging. A reduction of 3.6 log cycles was observed in yeasts and molds counts in the mozzarella packed with the antimicrobial sachet over 15-day storage time. The sachet also showed an antibacterial effect on Staphylococcus sp., reducing 2.4 log cycles after 12-day storage. Psychrotrophic bacteria species were the most resistant to the antimicrobial action. The highest concentration of AIT (0.08µg.mL-1) inside the active packaging system was observed at the 6-day of storage at 12 ºC ± 2 ºC. At the end of the storage time, AIT concentration decreased to only 10 percent of the initial concentration. Active packaging containing antimicrobial sachet has a potential use for sliced mozzarella, with molds and yeasts being the most sensitive to the antimicrobial effects.

Composition, functional properties and sensory characteristics of Mozzarella cheese manufactured from different somatic cell counts in milk

In the present study, composition, functional properties and sensory characteristics of Mozzarella cheese produced from milk with somatic cell counts (SCC) at low (<200,000 cells/mL), intermediate (≈400,000 cells/mL) and high (>800,000 cells/mL) levels were investigated. Three batches of cheese were produced for each SCC category. The cheeses were vacuum packed in plastic bags and analysed after 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30 days of storage at 4ºC. SCC level did not affect the moisture, fat, total protein and ash content, mesophilic and psychrotrophic bacteria, and sensory parameters of Mozzarella cheese. However, meltability increased in cheese manufactured from high SCC milk. Results indicated that raw milk used to produce Mozzarella cheese should not contain high SCC (>800,000 cells/mL) in order to avoid changes in the functional properties of the Mozzarella cheese.

No presente estudo foram investigadas a composição, as propriedades funcionais e as características sensoriais do queijo Mussarela produzido a partir de leite com contagens de células somáticas (CCS) em níveis baixos (<200.000 CS/mL), intermediários (≈400.000 CS/mL) e altos (>800.000 CS/mL). Foram produzidos 3 lotes de queijo para cada CCS. Os queijos foram embalados a vácuo e analisados após 2, 9, 16, 23 e 30 dias de armazenamento a 4ºC. O nível de CS não afetou a umidade, os teores de gordura, proteína total e cinzas, os níveis de bactérias mesófilas e psicrotróficas, e os parâmetros sensoriais do queijo Mussarela. Entretanto, houve aumento da capacidade de derretimento no queijo fabricado com leite de alta CCS. Os resultados indicam que o leite cru utilizado para a produção de queijo Mussarela não deve conter níveis de CS acima de 800.000/mL, para evitar alterações nas propriedades funcionais do queijo Mussarela.

Perfil físico-químico do soro de queijos mozarela e minas-padrão produzidos em várias regiões do estado de Minas Gerais / Physical-chemical profile of the whey of minas-padrão and mozzarella cheeses produced in some regions of Minas Gerais state

O perfil físico-químico de soros de queijos mozarela e minas-padrão foi analisado em quatro das cinco macrorregiões com maior produção desses queijos no estado de Minas Gerais: Alto São Francisco, Zona Metalúrgica, Zona da Mata e Sul de Minas. Os valores média+desvio padrão encontrados para os componentes do soro de queijo mozarela foram: -0,565+0,031ºH para crioscopia; 6,19+0,26 para pH; 13,16+3,08ºD para acidez; 6,33+0,43g/100g para sólidos totais; 93,67+0,43g/100g para umidade; 0,77+0,26g/100g para gordura; 0,84+0,04g/100g para proteína; 4,42+0,68g/100g para lactose; 0,47+0,04g/100g para cinzas; 0,18+0,01g/100g para cloretos e 1,0253+0,0006 para densidade. Para soro de queijo minas-padrão, foram encontrados: -0,555+0,030ºH para crioscopia; 6,30+0,31 para pH; 12,48+2,07ºD para acidez; 6,28+0,51g/100g para sólidos totais; 93,97+0,54 g/100g para umidade; 0,70+0,21g/100g para gordura; 0,49+0,03g/100g para cinzas; 4,12+0,36 g/100g para lactose; 0,80+0,04g/100g para proteínas; 0,20+0,01g/100g para cloretos e 1,0249+0,0009 para densidade. Não houve diferença significativa entre os dois tipos de soro, mas encontrou-se diferença entre os soros de diferentes regiões para crioscopia, sólidos totais, umidade e densidade, e observou-se interação tipo de soro versus região para proteínas, acidez, gordura e cloretos. Os teores de lactose e resíduo mineral fixo (cinzas) não apresentaram nenhuma diferença significativa. Por não existir um padrão de identidade e qualidade específico para soros de queijo, esses resultados podem ser tomados como base para se desenvolver tais padrões.

The physical-chemical profile of the whey of mozzarella and minas-padrão cheeses was studied in four regions ("Alto São Francisco", "Zona Metalúrgica", "Zona da Mata" and "Sul de Minas") which produce milk and cheese in Minas Gerais. Due to the lack of a specific identity and a quality pattern for cheese whey, the results can be taken as a base to develop such patterns. The mean values found for mozzarella cheese whey were: - 0.565± 0.031ºH for freezing point; 6.19± 0.26 for pH; 13.16± 3.08ºD for titratable acidity; 6.33± 0.43g/100g for total solids; 93.67± 0.43g/100g for moisture; 0.77± 0.26g/100g for fat; 0.84± 0.04g/100g for protein; 4.42± 0.68g/100g for lactose; 0.47± 0.04 g/100g for ashes; 0.18± 0.01g/100g for chlorine and 1.0253± 0.0006 for density. In relation to minas-padrão cheese whey, the following mean results were obtained: - 0.555± 0.030ºH for freezing point; 6.30± 0.31 for pH; 12.48± 2.07ºD for titratable acidity; 6.28± 0.51g/100g for total solids; 93.97± 0.54 g/100g for moisture; 0.70± 0.21g/100g for fat; 0.80± 0.04g/100g for protein; 4.12± 0.36g/100g for lactose; 0.49± 0.03g/100g for ashes; 0.20± 0.01g/100g for chlorine and 1.0249± 0.0009 for density. No statistical difference between those types of whey was observed, but difference among wheys from regions for freezing point, total solids, moisture and density as well as interaction whey x regions for protein, titratable acidity, fat, and chorine were found. Only lactose and ash contents did not present any statistical difference.