Unveiling Safety Concerns in Brazilian Artisanal Cheeses: A Call for Enhanced Ripening Protocols and Microbiological Assessments.

Brazilian artisanal cheeses have recently gained significant commercial prominence and consumer favor, primarily due to their distinctive sensory attributes and cultural and historical appeal. Many of these cheeses are made with raw milk and undergo a relatively short ripening period, sometimes ranging from 4 to 8 days, though it is usually shorter than the period stated by law. Moreover, there is insufficient evidence regarding the efficacy of a short ripening period in reducing certain zoonotic foodborne pathogens, such as Brucella spp., Coxiella burnetiid, and Mycobacterium bovis (as part of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex). Additionally, a literature analysis revealed that the usual ripening conditions of Brazilian artisanal cheeses made with raw milk may be inefficient in reducing the levels of some hazardous bacterial, including Brucella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, coagulase-positive Staphylococcus, Salmonella, and Coxiella burnetti, to the acceptable limits established by law, thus failing to ensure product safety for all cheese types. Moreover, the assessment of the microbiological safety for this type of cheese should be broader and should also consider zoonotic pathogens commonly found in bovine herds. Finally, a standardized protocol for evaluating the effectiveness of cheese ripening must be established by considering its peculiarities.

Characterization of Physicochemical and Sensory Properties of Cheeses Added with Bovine Colostrum.

The objective of this study was to develop fresh and matured cheeses with different bovine colostrum levels, aiming to promote the consumption of dairy products with the addition of colostrum. Four different cheese formulations were produced with a mixture of 0:100, 15:85, 20:80, and 25:75, bovine colostrum:milk (v:v), and aged for 0, 10, 20, and 40 days. Milk, colostrum, and fresh and matured cheeses were submitted to physicochemical characterization. Moreover, microbiological quality, yield, texture profile, color, and sensory acceptance of cheese samples were evaluated. Colostrum supplementation favored low acidity, high moisture, a pH range of 5.0-6.2, and water activity of 0.94-99. Sensory attributes and overall evaluation of all cheese formulations achieved an Acceptability Index above 70, indicating good acceptability. Since cheese with colostrum presented the potential to be used as human food, assessing the presence of colostrum bioactive components in those dairy products is a promising goal for further research.

Potential biogenic amine-producing bacteria in ripened cheeses

This study aimed to determine which of the eight cheese varieties (Prato, Standard Minas, Gorgonzola-, Moleson-, Raclette-,Gruyère-, Sbrinz- and Reblochon-types) prepared at a dairy processing plant in the state of Rio de Janeiro had higher concentration of biogenic amines (BA) (putrescine, cadaverine, yramine, histamine, spermidine and spermine), to detect which BA were produced at higher oncentrations and to determine if the presence of Enterobacteriaceae, biogenic amine producing bacteria (BAPB) or physical-chemical parameters (pH, titratable acidity, fat, moisture, total solids, protein, ash and chloride) ould be correlated with BA production in the eight matured cheese varieties. Moleson-type cheese (72.50 mg.Kg-1) followed by Standard Minas (107.00mg.Kg-1) showed the lowest levels of biogenic amines. Prato (699.29 mg.Kg-1) and Gorgonzola-type (936.37 mg.Kg-1) cheeses contained larger amounts of BA. Concentrations of tyramine exceeded the maximum permissible limit in all varieties of cheese. Although the presence of potentially BA-producing bacteria was confirmed in all samples of cheese, there was no correlation with BA content produced in cheeses. Gorgonzola-type cheese showed a positive correlation with the amount of BA in the isolates. Gorgonzola-type, Sbrinz-type and Prato cheeses seem to require greater care in monitoring the presence of biogenic amines, particularly because tyramine reached the highest levels in these varieties. Regardless of the analysed cheese, physical and chemical parameters did not affect the amount of BA produced. An assessment of the capacity to produce biogenic amines should be included as a selection criterion for starter cultures for ripened cheeses.

Decline in Mycobacterium bovis and Brucella abortus populations during the maturation of experimentally contaminated parmesan-type cheese / Decaimento do Mycobacterium bovis e da Brucella abortus durante a cura de queijo tipo parmesão experimentalmente contaminado

Brazilian legislation allows the manufacture of raw milk cheese with a maturation exceeding 60 days at room temperature above 5C, but there is a lack of solid scientific evidence on the efficacy of this maturation process in inactivating important pathogens that may be present in milk, such as Mycobacterium bovis and Brucella abortus. Thus, the objectives of this study were to produce parmesan-type cheese experimentally contaminated with M. bovis and B. abortus and evaluate the survival of these pathogens along 2-month maturation. Parmesan-type cheese was manufactured in the laboratory using whole pasteurized milk with or without inoculation with M. bovis (SB1033) or B. abortus (1119-3) and matured at 18C for up to 63 days. M. bovis was inoculated in Stonebrink-Leslie medium supplemented with antibiotics and incubated at 37C for 45 days, and B. abortus was incubated in Farrel medium at 36C for 3 days. The average D18C value, weighted by variance, was 37.5 ± 5.3 days for M. bovis and 5.9 ± 0.7 days for B. abortus. The average physicochemical parameters in the cheese at the end of the study were as follows: pH = 4.89, water activity = 0.976, and moisture percentage = 43.1%. The pH might have contributed to the reduction in the population of B. abortus but seems not to have influenced the population of M. bovis. We conclude that the duration of the maturation process influences the size of the surviving populations of M. bovis and B. abortus, and that the shortening of the maturation duration might not ensure a decline in pathogen levels to safe levels. Thus, complementary studies considering the effect of several other technological aspects on the survival of these pathogens are required, including the effect of the lactic acid bacterial population, salt content, and temperature of maturation.(AU)

A legislação brasileira permite a fabricação queijos de leite cru com maturação superior a 60 dias em temperatura acima de 5C, mas falta evidência científica sólida sobre a eficácia do processo de maturação na inativação de importantes patógenos que podem estar presentes no leite, como o Mycobacterium bovis e a Brucella abortus. Assim, os objetivos desse estudo foram produzir o queijo tipo parmesão experimentalmente contaminado com M. bovis e B. abortus e avaliar a sobrevivência desses patógenos ao longo de 2 meses de maturação. Queijo do tipo parmesão foi fabricado em laboratório com leite pasteurizado integral com ou sem inoculo de M. bovis (SB1033) ou B. abortus (1119-3) e maturado a 18C por até 63 dias. M. bovis foi semeado em meio Stonebrink-Leslie, acrescido de antibióticos, e incubado a 37C por 45 dias e a B. abortus foi semeada em meio Farrel a 36C por 3 dias. O valor D18C médio, ponderado pela variância, foi de 37,5 ± 5,3 dias para o M. bovis e de 5,9 ± 0,7 dias para a B. abortus. Os parâmetros físico-químicos médios do queijo no final do estudo foram como se segue: pH = 4,89, atividade de água = 0,976 e umidade percentual = 43,1%. O pH pode ter contribuído para redução da população de B. abortus mas parece não ter influenciado a população de M. bovis. Concluiu-se que a duração do processo de maturação influencia o tamanho da população sobrevivente de M. bovis e de B. abortus e que o encurtamento do período de maturação pode não garantir um declínio desses patógenos para níveis seguros. Assim, estudos complementares que considerem o efeito de vários outros aspectos tecnológicos na sobrevivência desses patógenos são necessários, incluindo o efeito da população de bactérias ácido láticas, teor de sal e temperatura de maturação.(AU)

Decline in Mycobacterium bovis and Brucella abortus populations during the maturation of experimentally contaminated parmesan-type cheese / Decaimento do Mycobacterium bovis e da Brucella abortus durante a cura de queijo tipo parmesão experimentalmente contaminado

Brazilian legislation allows the manufacture of raw milk cheese with a maturation exceeding 60 days at room temperature above 5C, but there is a lack of solid scientific evidence on the efficacy of this maturation process in inactivating important pathogens that may be present in milk, such as Mycobacterium bovis and Brucella abortus. Thus, the objectives of this study were to produce parmesan-type cheese experimentally contaminated with M. bovis and B. abortus and evaluate the survival of these pathogens along 2-month maturation. Parmesan-type cheese was manufactured in the laboratory using whole pasteurized milk with or without inoculation with M. bovis (SB1033) or B. abortus (1119-3) and matured at 18C for up to 63 days. M. bovis was inoculated in Stonebrink-Leslie medium supplemented with antibiotics and incubated at 37C for 45 days, and B. abortus was incubated in Farrel medium at 36C for 3 days. The average D18C value, weighted by variance, was 37.5 ± 5.3 days for M. bovis and 5.9 ± 0.7 days for B. abortus. The average physicochemical parameters in the cheese at the end of the study were as follows: pH = 4.89, water activity = 0.976, and moisture percentage = 43.1%. The pH might have contributed to the reduction in the population of B. abortus but seems not to have influenced the population of M. bovis. We conclude that the duration of the maturation process influences the size of the surviving populations of M. bovis and B. abortus, and that the shortening of the maturation duration might not ensure a decline in pathogen levels to safe levels. Thus, complementary studies considering the effect of several other technological aspects on the survival of these pathogens are required, including the effect of the lactic acid bacterial population, salt content, and temperature of maturation.

A legislação brasileira permite a fabricação queijos de leite cru com maturação superior a 60 dias em temperatura acima de 5C, mas falta evidência científica sólida sobre a eficácia do processo de maturação na inativação de importantes patógenos que podem estar presentes no leite, como o Mycobacterium bovis e a Brucella abortus. Assim, os objetivos desse estudo foram produzir o queijo tipo parmesão experimentalmente contaminado com M. bovis e B. abortus e avaliar a sobrevivência desses patógenos ao longo de 2 meses de maturação. Queijo do tipo parmesão foi fabricado em laboratório com leite pasteurizado integral com ou sem inoculo de M. bovis (SB1033) ou B. abortus (1119-3) e maturado a 18C por até 63 dias. M. bovis foi semeado em meio Stonebrink-Leslie, acrescido de antibióticos, e incubado a 37C por 45 dias e a B. abortus foi semeada em meio Farrel a 36C por 3 dias. O valor D18C médio, ponderado pela variância, foi de 37,5 ± 5,3 dias para o M. bovis e de 5,9 ± 0,7 dias para a B. abortus. Os parâmetros físico-químicos médios do queijo no final do estudo foram como se segue: pH = 4,89, atividade de água = 0,976 e umidade percentual = 43,1%. O pH pode ter contribuído para redução da população de B. abortus mas parece não ter influenciado a população de M. bovis. Concluiu-se que a duração do processo de maturação influencia o tamanho da população sobrevivente de M. bovis e de B. abortus e que o encurtamento do período de maturação pode não garantir um declínio desses patógenos para níveis seguros. Assim, estudos complementares que considerem o efeito de vários outros aspectos tecnológicos na sobrevivência desses patógenos são necessários, incluindo o efeito da população de bactérias ácido láticas, teor de sal e temperatura de maturação.