Micobiota em queijo minas artesanal “casca florida” em diferentes tempos de maturação

Abstract

Artisanal Minas Cheese (QMA), is a typical food from state of Minas Gerais, carrying traditional techniques from where it is produced. Currently, there are ten regions recognized as producing QMA, including Araxá, Campos das Vertentes, Cerrado, Serra da Canastra, Serra do Salitre, Serro, Triângulo Mineiro, Serras da Ibitipoca, Diamantina and Entre Serras de Piedade ao Caraça. QMA production is similar between regions, but geographic, physicochemical, sensorial and microbial aspects provide intrinsic sensory characteristics of each place. Especially the mycological diversity contained in these cheeses must be known, as they are produced and matured by hand and in uncontrolled conditions. In the Cerrado region of Minas Gerais, there are few studies on the mycobiota of Minas Artesanais cheeses, especially those with flowery rinds, and on community variation during maturation. The objective of this research was to analyze Minas Artesanal ‘flowery rind’ cheese from the Cerrado Microregion of Minas Gerais, identifying the predominant mycobiota, and variations in physical-chemical aspects at different maturation times. 11 QMA samples were collected, with 18, 23, 33 and 60 days of maturation. Mycological and physicochemical analyzes were carried out, considering rind and mass. The fungi were isolated using a cultivation-dependent method using the serial dilution technique. Filamentous fungi were identified using identification manuals and yeasts using MALDI-TOF. In the physical-chemical analyses, pH, humidity, fat content in the dry extract, proteins and salt in the humidity were analyzed. Statistical differences were analyzed at the level of 5% of variance using the Tukey test with the SISVAR software. In mycological analyses, the average number of fungi isolated was 19.25x104 CFU/g (mass) and 81.65x106 CFU/g (rind). D. catenulata, K.lactis, T. delbrueckii, D. hansenii, C. intermedia, W. pararugosa and the filamentous fungi G. candidum, Geotrichum sp., Cladosporium sp., T. variabili, Penicillium sp., P. corylophillum, P. decubens, P. brevicompactum were identified. The physicochemical results showed a statistical difference in the peels and mass for pH and humidity, for protein there was no statistical distinction, for fat and salt in humidity, there was a statistical difference in the mass analyzes (<0.05). The average mass percentage values varied between 18 and 60 days for pH: 5.6±0.2ab - 5.7±0.1ab); humidity: (50.9±1.7a – 37.2±0.5b); protein (17.8±4.4a - 27.8±0.9a); fat in the dry extract: (28.3±0.2a – 20.3±0.0b); salt in humidity: (3.3±0.2a,- 4.0±0.0ab). In the rind, pH was obtained: (6.0±0.3a - 7.1±0.2b); humidity: (50.3±2.8a - 30.6±1.2b); protein (19.1±2.7a – 16.4±4.8a); fat in dry extract: (27.3±0.0a, - 26.0±0.0a); salt in humidity: (2.8±0.9a, - 2.6±0.0a). These results contributed to quantifying and identifying the mycological diversity present in the cheeses analyzed. Physicochemical parameters can be influenced by the microbiota present. The presence and high counts of beneficial yeasts and G. Candidum in both the dough and the shell are positive, as they represent sanitary and sensorial quality, demonstrating safety for consumption.