Quality of the Serrano Cheese from Santa Catarina for the fungal count, aflatoxin M1 and light filth

Abstract

The Serrano Artisanal Cheese is a traditional product from the south of Brazil, produced by family farming from raw milk. The growth of the consumption of this cheese requires attention to its quality, since the only measures of control of this product are the good practices of manufacture and maturation. The objective of this work was to evaluate some parameters of contamination of Serrano Artisanal Cheese over 4 ripening periods (14, 21, 28 and 35 days), such as total fungal count, quantification of aflatoxin M1, and light filth. The efficacy of the ripening period in relation to the loss of water was evaluated by determining the moisture and water activity. The fungal count and water activity (aw) did not change during the maturation periods, with averages between 4 - 7 log CFU g -1 and 0.97-0.98, respectively. The humidity was different only between the periods of 14 and 21 days of maturation, but the average values still remained between 40.39 and 43.66%, classifying the cheese as a semi-hard mass. AFM1 was detected in only one property, in all periods, but in values below that established by Brazilian legislation. Light filth were present in 100% of the analyzed samples, with a high prevalence of synthetic fibers, besides the presence of insects and hairs. The analyzed cheeses were safe for consumption in relation to fungal quantification and aflatoxin M1, but the light filth were identified in a number above that allowed by the legislation, although it did not alter the counting of the microorganisms analyzed.