Compostos orgânicos voláteis em queijos minas artesanal de casca florida natural: estudos aplicados ás microrregiões da canastra e de Diamantina

Abstract

Minas Gerais artisanal cheeses have achieved national and international awards in competitions. The traditional method of producing Artisanal Minas Cheese has been designated as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, underscoring its cultural significance. The primary objective of this study was to deepen the understanding of the volatile compound profile in Natural Bloomy Rind Artisanal Minas Cheese (NBRAMC) and Artisanal Minas Cheese produced in the Diamantina microregion. Emphasis was placed on regional identity and the influence of factors such as ripening time, production practices, and seasonal climatic conditions, utilizing HS-SPME coupled with GC-MS, alongside chemometric analyses such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA). In the first article, NBRAMC samples were analyzed, and 67 volatile compounds were identified. PCA revealed that the primary differentiation among samples was attributed to the cheese portion analyzed (surface or core), rather than ripening time or producer. The second article focused on the influence of climatic conditions (rainy and dry seasons) on the volatile compound profile of artisanal cheeses from the Diamantina microregion. Although PCA was unable to clearly group samples based on seasonality or cheese portion (surface or core), PLS- DA demonstrated a high classification capability between samples from the rainy and dry seasons. This indicates that, despite not being visually apparent in reduced dimensions, volatile patterns exist that allow for the discrimination of samples by seasonality. Supporting literature reinforces that the microbiota of artisanal cheese, and consequently volatile compound production, is significantly affected by seasonal conditions, including temperature and humidity variations, as well as pasture composition, which directly influences the milk. In conclusion, this thesis demonstrated the complexity and dynamism of the volatile compound profile in artisanal cheeses, revealing that both the producer's "know-how" and seasonal environmental conditions significantly impact the final product's sensory characteristics. The identification of these volatile compounds and the ability to classify them by various factors contribute to the cultural, social, and economic valorization of Brazilian artisanal cheeses, providing important tools for the authenticity and quality control of these products.